What happened
A cargo mission was underway from Pevek to Zyrianka, transporting approximately 1,000 kilograms of spare parts, including a crankshaft, intended for an LM-3 locomotive. The flight departed Peeks at 04:10 local time. During the approach to Zyrianka, the crew received notification that the airfield was closed to all traffic, prompting a diversion to Seymchan Airport.
While rerouting the aircraft, the pilot did not obtain updated meteorological information regarding the conditions at the new destination. The flight proceeded at an altitude of 3,300 meters, but upon reaching Seymchan, the crew encountered severe weather and could not identify the runway. Following a failed landing attempt, the aircraft moved north, but the crew was eventually forced to perform an emergency landing due to critical fuel exhaustion. The aircraft type crashed into a rocky canyon situated 72 km northwest of Seymchan, resulting in the total destruction of the plane and five fatalities.
Findings
Investigations identified several contributing elements to the accident. At the time of the impact, visibility was reduced to less than 100 meters because of snowfall. The investigation noted that the co-pilot lacked sufficient experience and that the crew had not received adequate rest. Furthermore, ground services at Seymchan failed to provide necessary assistance upon the aircraft's arrival.
A primary factor was the decision to divert to Seymchan without verifying destination weather. Additionally, the initial closure of Zyrianka Airport was found to be based on an erroneous report; authorities had claimed the runway was flooded, though the strip remained functional with 1,000 meters of usable length.