What happened
During a nighttime arrival at Stalingrad Airport, the flight encountered challenging meteorological conditions characterized by fog and falling snow. While on final approach at an altitude of approximately 200 meters, the pilot-in-command was unable to identify the runway lights. Consequently, the crew initiated a go-around procedure.
Air traffic control instructed the crew to divert the flight to either Voronezh or Rostov; however, the captain received authorization to attempt a second approach to the airfield. During this subsequent descent, visibility remained extremely poor, and the pilot again failed to establish visual contact with the runway lighting. Despite a request from the co-pilot to perform another go-around, the aircraft continued its descent.
The flight path intersected with treetops, causing the plane to roll to the right before impacting a field located roughly one kilometer before the runway threshold. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft. Among the occupants, the flight mechanic was killed, while the remaining crew and passengers were rescued, with some injuries reported.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor in the accident was improper approach techniques and incorrect configuration by the pilot-in-command. The captain chose to proceed with the descent without maintaining visual contact with the runway lights and allowed the aircraft to descend below the minimum descent altitude during periods of visibility that were below established safety minima.