Background
A four-engine aircraft departed Dzhankoy Air Force Base in Crimea for a combined night exercise. It was accompanied by a second Ilyushin Il-76, registered CCCP-76685, which also carried a crew of eight.
Incident
During the exercise, both aircraft collided in mid-air following a pilot error. After the collision, they entered a dive and crashed into Lake Sivash. All 16 occupants in both aircraft were killed.
Investigation
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident: an in-flight collision caused by a pilot error. No other contributing factors were identified in the findings.
Aftermath
Rescue and recovery operations were conducted at the crash site in Lake Sivash. The incident remains one of the notable military aviation accidents in the region. The specific aircraft type of the first plane was not disclosed in the investigation report.