Accident Overview
On the day of the accident, the aircraft departed Nagurskoye Airport in the Franz-Josef Archipelago at 0820 local time. Onboard were a crew of five and two hydrologists. The flight was tasked with performing an ice reconnaissance to facilitate the launch of the icebreaker 'Indigirka'.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft proceeded at an altitude of 150 meters in visibility of less than one kilometer. During this phase of flight, it struck the southwest slope of the Graham Bell Glacier. After impact, the aircraft traveled approximately 750 meters before coming to rest in flames.
Damage and Casualties
The aircraft was destroyed in the crash and subsequent fire. All seven occupants—the five crew members and two hydrologists—were killed.
Contributing Factors
At the time of the accident, visibility was below the established minima for the operation. The investigation found that the crew failed to follow the published procedure for flight in such conditions, and the aircraft was cruising at an insufficient altitude given the limited visibility. Additionally, the on-board weather radar was unable to detect the mountain due to a conception (design) issue.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was determined to be: "Failure of the crew to follow the published procedure while cruising at an insufficient altitude in limited visibility (below minima). Due to a conception issue, the on-board weather radar failed to detect the mountain."