Incident Details
The flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) at an altitude of 3,000 meters, above clouds. While approaching Syktyvkar, the weather deteriorated with thunderstorm activity. The crew decided to change the route to avoid the adverse weather conditions, but subsequently lost control of the aircraft. The airplane entered a dive, during which both wings separated. It then crashed in flames in a densely wooded area located 87 kilometers southwest of Syktyvkar Airport. The wreckage was discovered 11 days later, on July 31. The aircraft was completely destroyed, and all 23 occupants were killed. The right wing and right engine were found 80 meters from the main fuselage.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the loss of control resulted from a combination of strong atmospheric turbulence and a vertical downdraft encountered while the aircraft was flying in a low-pressure area. During the dive, excessive G-loads caused the wings to detach, rendering the aircraft totally uncontrollable. A contributing factor was the lack of assistance from meteorological services; no information was transmitted to the crew regarding the worsening weather conditions and the presence of a thunderstorm along the flight path.