Accident Sequence
Five minutes after takeoff from Nasosny Air Force Base, the No. 1 engine experienced an uncontained failure. The flight crew elected to return to the airfield when the engine caught fire and detached from the aircraft a few minutes later. Subsequently, the left wing also caught fire and, during the final approach, detached from the aircraft. The aircraft became uncontrollable and crashed into the Caspian Sea approximately 5,250 meters short of runway 18 threshold and about 500 meters offshore.
The aircraft was totally destroyed, and all 57 occupants—paratroopers returning to their base in Zhovtneve (near Bolgrad, Ukraine) after being dispatched to Baku to maintain order following a popular uprising—were killed.
Investigation
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident to be a failure and fire of the No. 1 engine following an intershaft bearing failure.