What happened
A cargo flight departed Lyubertsy Airport at 19:57 local time, bound for Kazan. The aircraft was transporting various goods with a total payload of 1,446 kilograms. On board were five crew members and one passenger.
During the descent toward Kazan, which began at 22:33 local time, the pilot in command received authorization to descend to altitudes of 1,200 meters and subsequently 700 meters. The flight was operating in challenging meteorological conditions characterized by snowfall and low visibility. As the aircraft approached its destination, it encountered clouds and icing, which resulted in ice accumulating on the windshield.
While flying at an altitude between 127 and 130 meters, the aircraft type struck the mast of a radio antenna. The impact caused the right wing to be severed from the airframe, leading the plane to crash into a field approximately 250 meters away. The accident resulted in six fatalities, with no survivors among the occupants. The aircraft was completely destroyed.
Findings
Investigations into the accident highlighted several contributing factors. The crew chose to proceed with the approach despite facing marginal weather, icing conditions, and a windshield obscured by ice. Additionally, the radio antenna mast was not adequately illuminated; specifically, the top 18 meters of the structure lacked lighting, and only two lights were present on the remainder of the mast. Furthermore, the ground assistance provided by Air Traffic Control was deemed insufficient.