What happened
Shortly after departing from runway 10 at Poti Airport, the aircraft type experienced a critical loss of propulsion. Approximately 14 seconds into the climb, while maintaining a speed of 195 km/h and an altitude of 60 meters, both engines suffered a 60% reduction in power. Eleven seconds following this initial event, the left engine's power partially recovered to 94.5%, but the right engine experienced a total loss of power.
The flight crew attempted to feather the propeller on the right engine to mitigate drag; however, this procedure could not be completed successfully. As a result of the asymmetric thrust and drag, the plane began to lose altitude and drifted into a right-hand turn. At a speed of 130 km/h, the aircraft impacted trees situated 20 meters high, eventually crashing in a forested area approximately 450 meters beyond the runway threshold. The impact resulted in 6 fatalities (comprising two pilots and four passengers) and 12 injuries. The aircraft was completely destroyed during the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the incident revealed that the right engine malfunction originated from a momentary failure within the rotor speed regulator. This mechanical issue necessitated the shutdown of the engine and an attempt to feather the propeller. The primary factor in the crash was the inability to feather the propeller, which created excessive drag, prevented the aircraft from maintaining flight, and forced the emergency descent into the trees.