What happened
Approximately one hour after departing from Vorkuta Airport with a destination of Syktyvkar, the flight crew notified air traffic control regarding a fire involving the right-side engine. Efforts to suppress the flames were unsuccessful. In response to the escalating emergency, the pilot initiated a descent to lower altitude to facilitate an emergency landing.
While flying at an altitude of roughly 100 meters, the right engine became detached from the airframe. The loss of the engine caused the aircraft to become uncontrollable, leading to a crash into an icy pond situated near the Bolchaya Vyatkina River. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were 26 fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors.
Findings
Investigations determined that the incident originated from a mechanical failure within the engine. Specifically, a cylinder on the fifth component of the right engine fractured during flight. This breakage led to the failure of the connecting rod and subsequent damage to cylinders three and seven. The resulting structural damage allowed hydraulic fluid to escape the crankcase through the exhaust manifold, triggering the uncontrollable engine fire.