What happened
During a repositioning flight intended to travel from Nikolayevsk-on-Amur to Magadan via Okhotsk, an aircraft encountered severe meteorological challenges. While navigating through the Enken region, the crew faced intense turbulence and heavy icing alongside low visibility and snowfall. The aircraft experienced a significant loss of altitude and struck the slope of Mt Dzhgdzhur, which stands at 1,207 meters, at an elevation of approximately 900 meters. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire. Search teams located the burnt remains of the wreckage five days after the incident. There were five fatalities among the crew members on board.
At the time of the accident, environmental conditions were extreme, characterized by winds from 140° at 100 km/h and an outside air temperature of -18°C.
Findings
Investigations into the accident concluded that the primary reason for the loss of control was the excessive accumulation of ice on the wings, stabilizers, and tail surfaces. This buildup occurred alongside highly adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, it was determined that the meteorological data provided to the crew was inaccurate and failed to represent the actual severity of the weather. The effectiveness of air traffic control assistance during the flight was also found to be insufficient.