What happened
A flight traveling from Moscow to Chelyabinsk was carrying 13 members of the VVS Moscow ice hockey team along with a crew of six. After arriving at their destination, the flight crew determined that landing in Chelyabinsk was impossible due to adverse weather. Consequently, the decision was made to divert the aircraft to Sverdlovsk.
During the approach to Sverdlovsk, visibility decreased significantly because of heavy snowfall. The crew performed four separate go-around maneuvers as they attempted to land. On the fifth landing attempt, the aircraft type (unspecified in source) struck a field located a few hundred yards before reaching the runway threshold. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the plane and caused 19 fatalities, leaving no survivors.
Findings
- Severe weather conditions involving heavy snow significantly reduced visibility during the approach.
- The aircraft was operating at an insufficient altitude during the final landing attempt, leading to the crash short of the runway.