Incident Overview
The incident involved an aircraft that departed Kostroma Airport at 0730 local time. At the time of departure, the flight carried one passenger and seven crew members. The primary objective of the mission was to conduct aerial photography of a specific railroad segment, covering the route from Neya to Svesha via Manturovo and Sharya.
Flight Progression and Emergency
Approximately two hours and ten minutes into the flight, the aircraft experienced a failure in its left engine. Shortly after this initial mechanical issue, the right engine began to overheat. Facing these compounded technical difficulties, the captain decided to divert the aircraft toward Sharya. However, as the airplane lost altitude under these constrained conditions, the pilot attempted an emergency landing.
Crash and Casualties
The aircraft struck trees and crashed into a dense wooded area located at kilometer 711 of the railroad line, approximately 600 meters from the tracks. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airplane. Regarding personnel, the single passenger on board was unhurt. In contrast, all seven crew members sustained injuries. Although the captain survived the initial crash, he succumbed to his wounds eighteen hours later.
Investigation Findings
Official investigation findings identified the primary cause of the accident as the failure of the left engine during flight, which was attributed to a dysfunction in the carburetor. Additionally, high outside temperatures were cited as a contributing factor. These environmental conditions prevented the crew from maintaining a safe altitude while operating on a single engine.