What happened
While performing a descent from 3,000 meters to 2,700 meters, the crew of a twin engine aircraft collided with a mountain slope. The impact occurred at an altitude of 2,226 meters, approximately 74 km away from Bagdarin Airport. The force of the collision caused the aircraft to disintegrate upon hitting the terrain. There were no survivors among the 17 fatalities recorded on board. At the time of the crash, flight conditions were characterized by low visibility resulting from snowfall and heavy cloud cover.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed that the crew initiated their approach earlier than intended. This error was driven by an incorrect calculation regarding flight timing, which led to a discrepancy of 11 minutes in their estimated arrival. Furthermore, technical issues involving unstable radiogoniometric systems and difficulties with radio communications prevented air traffic control from determining the precise location of the aircraft. Ultimately, the premature descent below minimum safe altitude combined with the lack of visibility prevented the crew from detecting the mountain in time to avoid the collision.