What happened
A cargo flight operating between Yakutsk and Olyokminsk was transporting a variety of goods, including mail, garlic, welding equipment, and radio components, totaling 1,476 kg. During the descent toward its destination, the crew encountered degraded weather conditions. While attempting to navigate visually, the crew mistakenly followed the Sinyaya River instead of the intended Lena River.
This navigational error led to a premature descent. As the aircraft passed the outer marker, it was at an insufficient altitude. The aircraft subsequently collided with trees and came to rest on the slope of a forested hill measuring 434 meters in height, approximately 25 km before reaching the runway threshold. The impact resulted in four fatalities, leaving no survivors among the crew. The wreckage was located by search teams one day after the accident.
Findings
The investigation determined that the crew was unable to establish their precise position relative to their estimated time of arrival. This led them to erroneously track the Sinyaya River rather than the Lena River. This error caused the aircraft to descend too early, resulting in the collision with terrain. Additionally, air traffic control provided permission for a straight-in approach based solely on crew reports, despite being unable to provide radar assistance due to the marginal weather conditions.