What happened
During a series of flight operations near Ashgabat Airport, an Ilyushin II-14 (version LIK) was performing several circuits and calibration missions. While the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 990 metres, approximately 50 km away from the airport, it encountered severe weather conditions. During this phase of flight, the plane collided with the slope of Mt Uldepe, which has an elevation of 1,631 metres. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and there were six fatalities among the crew.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the crew was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite encountering deteriorating weather. The primary contributing factor was the decision to continue VFR flight into adverse weather conditions. Additionally, investigators noted a failure to follow established and approved procedures, alongside issues regarding low visibility and a lack of operational discipline.