What happened
Shortly after departing from Magadan Airport, the aircraft encountered a sudden fire within the cabin. This fire quickly produced smoke that permeated both the passenger area and the cockpit. In response to the emergency, the captain initiated a descent to perform an unplanned landing in the Khasyn River Valley, situated approximately 10 km north of the airport.
As the flight progressed, the density of the smoke caused the pilot to lose consciousness. Approximately eight minutes after the initial takeoff, the aircraft collided with trees and burst into flames upon impact in a forested region. The accident resulted in three fatalities among those on board. Two crew members, specifically the radio operator and the co-pilot, were successfully recovered from the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations concluded that an electrical short-circuit within a power supply unit for the radio transmitter triggered the intense fire. The resulting blaze was too large for the crew to manage or extinguish during the descent.