What happened
During a nighttime approach to the runway 24 threshold at Stalingrad-Gumrak Airport, an aircraft lost control while flying at an altitude of approximately 400 meters. The plane entered a right bank and descended into a snow-covered field situated roughly 5 kilometers from the runway. Upon impact, the aircraft struck the ground at a speed of 300 km/h. While the impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe, no post-crash fire was reported.
All 25 occupants perished in the accident.
Findings
Investigators were unable to establish a definitive cause for the loss of control. However, evidence suggested that the aircraft may have been struck by projectiles. During the investigation, several holes ranging from 10 mm to 35 mm in diameter were discovered within the flight deck. Additionally, investigators recovered metallic fragments that did not belong to the aircraft's structure; these fragments were located near the pilot's head and left thigh. It is suspected that small arms fire originated from a nearby military training site positioned underneath the aircraft's approach path.