What happened
On a day in 1998, an Mi-2 helicopter, registration LY-HBW, operated by the individual enterprise "Aerobatika," performed a series of unauthorized passenger flights. The aircraft took off from the Mažeikiai area and landed on a wooden basketball court near the shores of Lake Plateliai to pick up passengers for a celebratory flight.
During the final phase of the flight, the pilot performed aggressive maneuvers at an extremely low altitude. While flying approximately 2 to 5 meters above the water surface with a significant left bank of about 85 degrees, the main rotor blades struck the water. The impact caused the helicopter to crash and sink into Lake Plateliai near Pilies Island.
The accident resulted in 10 fatalities: the pilot and eight passengers died at the scene, while one passenger died in the hospital seven days later. The aircraft was destroyed. Additionally, fuel from the main tank leaked into the lake, causing environmental contamination.