What happened
During a scheduled mission for meteorological observation, an aircraft departed from Dessau Airport. Following the departure, rather than transitioning to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) as required by the prevailing weather, the pilot opted to maintain Visual Flight Rules (VFR). This decision was made while operating beneath a cloud layer in conditions characterized by restricted visibility.
Approximately ten minutes after takeoff, while the aircraft was maintaining an altitude of 500 feet, the right wing collided with a chimney belonging to a metallurgical complex. The impact caused the aircraft to crash and subsequently burst into flames. The accident resulted in seven fatalities, comprising all six crew members on board and one individual located on the ground.
Findings
- The flight was conducted under VFR despite insufficient visibility for safe visual navigation.
- The pilot's decision to continue flying under VFR instead of climbing to IFR conditions led to the collision with the industrial structure.