What happened
During a cruise at 7,500 meters, the fourth engine experienced a malfunction. Because the crew could not identify which specific right-side engine had failed, they proceeded to shut down both engines on that side and feathered their propellers. This action resulted in a loss of control, causing the aircraft to bank to the right and enter a steep dive. The descent accelerated to a rate of 1,800 meters per minute.
As the aircraft descended through a final cloud layer at 200 meters, the crew attempted to recover control. However, the plane struck a snow-covered field approximately 3.5 km southeast of Urakhcha at a speed of 650 km/h. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, leaving a debris field measuring roughly 800 meters in length and 250 meters in width. Investigation of the wreckage showed that both engines on the right side were inactive upon impact, while the left engines were operating at full power. The crash resulted in no survivors.
Findings
Post-accident analysis revealed that pieces of the ailerons were located 12 km away from the primary impact site. The investigation concluded that the failure of the pitch control mechanism on engine number four created significant drag, which ultimately led to the loss of flight stability.