Incident Overview
On a scheduled flight from Krasnodar to Sochi, an aircraft departed Krasnodar Airport at 1505 local time. The flight carried six crew members, two passengers, and a load of mail, with a total weight of 1,007 kilograms. Twenty-one minutes after departure, the crew obtained permission to execute a visual descent to 1,800 meters and then to 600 meters.
Sequence of Events
While cruising at an altitude of 900 meters off the coast of Tuapse, the aircraft entered clouds and was struck by lightning. Subsequently, the aircraft went out of control and dove into the Black Sea. The impact occurred approximately two kilometers from the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs' rest house located in Tuapse. The aircraft disintegrated upon impact and sank to a depth of 55 meters. Some debris was recovered three to four weeks later. No occupants survived.
Official Findings
The official investigation determined that the aircraft was struck by lightning while flying in an area with thunderstorm activity. The lightning struck the left rear fuel tank, and an explosion occurred upon contact with fuel vapors. For an unknown reason, the crew had not been informed about the presence of thunderstorm and lightning in the Tuapse region.