Flight Details
The aircraft departed Moscow-Vnukovo Airport at 0520 local time on a scheduled flight to Tbilisi, with an intermediate stop planned at Rostov-on-Don. Due to deteriorating weather conditions and a storm between Krasnodar and Sukhumi, the crew modified the route and obtained permission from air traffic control to divert to Krasnodar. The crew and passengers waited several hours at Krasnodar Airport before the aircraft took off at 1507 local time bound for Tbilisi.
Encounter with Weather
While cruising under visual flight rules (VFR) at an altitude of 2,400 meters, the crew encountered poor weather conditions, including thunderstorm activity, heavy rain, turbulence, hail, and lightning. Within a few minutes, the aircraft was struck by lightning and experienced severe turbulence, causing it to go out of control and enter a dive.
Loss of Control and Crash
At an altitude of 300 meters, the crew attempted to regain control. However, the high g-forces generated during the recovery maneuver exceeded the design limits of the wings, causing them to separate from the aircraft. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames in a wooded, hilly area near the village of Grigorishi, approximately 15 km northeast of Zugdidi. The aircraft was totally destroyed, and all 18 occupants were killed.
Investigation and Findings
The official investigation determined that the loss of control was caused by poor weather conditions consisting of thunderstorm activity with heavy rain, hail, turbulence, and lightning.