What happened
During a nighttime approach to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the flight crew encountered heavy rainfall. While on short final, the captain identified that the aircraft was significantly above the established glide path and subsequently attempted to increase the rate of descent.
The aircraft impacted the runway surface nose-first at a speed of 230 km/h, experiencing an initial positive acceleration of 2.8 g. Following this impact, the plane bounced before making a second contact with the ground, which subjected the airframe to a 3.8 g acceleration. The force of the landing caused the nose gear to separate from the structure, resulted in the detachment of the number one engine, and caused structural bending to both wings. After the impacts, the aircraft slid along the runway for several yards before coming to a stop.
Despite the significant damage to the airframe, all occupants managed to evacuate the plane without any injuries. The aircraft was subsequently determined to be a total loss.
Findings
Investigators concluded that the primary cause of the accident was an incorrect approach configuration by the pilot-in-command. Additionally, the investigation identified inadequate coordination between the crew members and the presence of adverse weather conditions as contributing elements to the event.