Aviation Accident: Loss of Orientation and Emergency Landing Attempt Near Sverdlovsk (CCCP-L4416)

Flight Details and Initial Conditions The aircraft departed Kazan Airport at 2250LT in good weather, bound for Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport. The crew was cleared to climb to 3,000 meters. During the flight, they encountered marginal weather conditions, including clouds, icing, and light snow. In response, the crew requested permission to reduce altitude and descended to 1,800 meters while in icing conditions. The radio operator attempted multiple times to contact ATC in Koltsovo but was unsuccessful. Due to low visibility and a failure of the radiocompas, the crew was unable to locate their position and lost orientation. With fuel exhaustion imminent, the captain decided to attempt an emergency belly landing. The aircraft struck trees and crashed in a prairie approximately 70 km west of Sverdlovsk, sustaining damage beyond repair. All 10 occupants were wounded, and the copilot died from his injuries a day later.