What happened
While operating from the gravel runway at Ust-Maya Airstrip, the aircraft experienced a critical mechanical failure during the takeoff roll. After reaching V1 speed, the left turbocompressor lost power, leading to a complete engine shutdown approximately 1.8 seconds before reaching V2 speed. In response, the crew increased power on the right engine to 96% and proceeded with the takeoff sequence.
The aircraft successfully achieved liftoff at a speed of 160 km/h and reached an altitude of 50 meters. During a left turn following the climb, the aircraft began a gradual descent. The flight ended when the plane impacted the Aldan River, approximately 270 meters from the shore. The wreckage submerged in the river and was located by searchers 31 hours after the accident. There were 14 fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the failure of the left engine resulted from crew errors regarding the pre-takeoff engine checklist. Additionally, the aircraft's speed during takeoff was found to be inadequate. The investigation concluded that the loss of control following liftoff was exacerbated by the fact that the crew failed to retract the landing gear, a task neglected due to the high workload and emergency conditions experienced during the climbout.