What happened
A flight originating from Mys Schmidta (Cape Schmidt) carrying 14.5 tons of fuel proceeded to Anadyr without incident. After picking up 10 tons of meat at Anadyr Airport, the aircraft departed for Magadan at 06:25 local time. Approximately eighty minutes into the journey, while maintaining an altitude of 7,000 meters, the radio operator notified air traffic control that the second engine had failed.
In response to the initial failure, the captain initiated an emergency descent. During this maneuver, the aircraft reached 3,000 meters when the first engine also ceased functioning. Faced with total power loss, the crew attempted an emergency landing on the ice of the Shelikov Gulf. The aircraft type impacted the surface of the ice and slid a short distance before breaking through the frozen crust. The plane eventually sank approximately 2,700 meters from the coastline.
Search efforts located the wreckage and the crew six days later, on March 4 at 08:30 local time. All ten fatalities were attributed to hypothermia, as the ambient temperature was -18° C and the aircraft had submerged in icy waters.
Findings
Investigations revealed that a hot air line situated near the second engine failed during flight. The resulting heat melted electrical components and ignited a fire within the nacelle of the second engine, which subsequently led to the rupture of a fuel hose. Additionally, the crew lacked essential survival gear, as the aircraft was not outfitted with warm clothing, signaling devices, or life jackets.