Accident Overview
A local night training mission at Ulyanovsk-Baratayevka Airport ended in a crash when the aircraft stalled and caught fire. The crew consisted of six pilots and one instructor. Four occupants were killed and three others were injured. The aircraft was partially destroyed by fire. The accident occurred approximately 400 meters from the airfield.
Circumstances
The accident took place while the aircraft was approaching the airfield in icing conditions. After the crash, investigators found 10 to 15 millimeters of ice accumulated on the wings.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the accident was caused by poor piloting techniques exhibited by the pilot-in-command and the instructor while transitioning from instrument flight to visual flight in icing conditions. The ice on the wings contributed to the stall at a low altitude. Contributing factors included: lack of clear direction and control of the flight, absence of a defined training methodology, an atmosphere of complacency that reduced the instructor's self-discipline, insufficient knowledge of the aircraft's aerodynamic behavior in icing conditions and the appropriate responses, and inadequate altitude to permit recovery.