Accident Sequence
After departing Vorkuta Airport for Syktyvkar, the flight was underway for about one hour when the crew reported a fire on the right engine. The crew attempted to extinguish the fire but was unable to do so for an undetermined reason. The captain decided to reduce the aircraft's altitude to attempt an emergency landing. At an altitude of 100 meters, the right engine detached from the aircraft. The aircraft then went out of control and crashed in flames into an icy pond situated near the Bolchaya Vyatkina River. The crash resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft, and all 26 occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the accident's cause was a failure of the right engine. Specifically, the number five cylinder broke during flight, which caused the connecting rod to break and led to the failure of cylinders number three and seven. The destruction of these three cylinders allowed hydraulic fluid to be ejected from the crankcase through the exhaust manifold. This resulted in a violent fire that the crew was unable to extinguish.