Flight Details
The aircraft departed Baku Airport at 1408 local time on a cargo flight to Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. On board were two engineers from the motorist Zaporozhie, four crew members, and a load of five gear boxes weighing a total of 1,366 kilograms.
Route and Weather
After takeoff, the aircraft climbed to 2,100 meters. The crew obtained permission to modify their route to make an intermediate stop at Rostov-on-Don before continuing to Dnipropetrovsk. The crew did not request information about weather conditions along the route. Later, weather conditions worsened, and the captain requested permission to descend to 1,500 meters. However, descent was not possible; air traffic control instructed the crew to maintain the assigned altitude of 2,100 meters.
Accident Sequence
While cruising in a thunderstorm, the airplane went out of control. It partially disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in a field located 10 kilometers north of Izobilnoye. The aircraft was totally destroyed, and all six occupants were killed. The left stabiliser was the first part to be sheared off during the descent and was found 850 meters from the main wreckage.
Official Findings
The probable cause of the accident was loss of control caused by severe downdrafts and turbulences while cruising in thunderstorm activity. It was reported that the crew had not been informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions.