What happened
During a flight from Sverdlovsk to Moscow-Bykovo via Kazan, an Aeroflot aircraft experienced a mechanical failure involving the right engine. Following the loss of power, the pilot attempted to divert the plane back to Sverdlovsk. During this emergency procedure, the crew jettisoned portions of the cargo; however, several boxes struck the door, leaving one item partially obstructing the opening and creating significant aerodynamic drag.
As the aircraft lost altitude, it collided with trees and came to rest in a forested region approximately 65 km west of Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport, near Didino. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. Among the four occupants on board, there was one fatality and three injuries.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the right engine failed because of fuel starvation. Although the aircraft had recently been transferred from the Soviet Air Force to Aeroflot and required updated documentation and livery, a critical error occurred regarding fuel management. The fuel selector was set to the left rear tank, which contained no fuel, as only 200 liters had been added to that specific tank before departure. The crew neglected to switch the selector to an active tank during the flight.
Additionally, the crew failed to manage the aircraft effectively while operating with one engine inoperative. Specifically, the captain maintained a speed of only 150 km/h, which was below the required 170 km/h necessary to sustain safe altitude.