What happened
On May 2, 2009, a crew consisting of a pilot-in-command and an observer-pilot began their duty for Kazan Aviation Enterprise to perform urgent medical transport services. The crew underwent medical examinations at Kazan Airport at 04:20 UTC and were cleared for flight. At 06:20 UTC, the crew received a flight assignment from the Republican Clinical Hospital to fly a route from Kazan Airport to the hospital, then to Mamadysh, and back to the hospital and Kazan.
The mission's objective was to transport a thoracic surgeon for an urgent consultation in Mamadysh. Following a readiness check at 07:00 UTC, the pilot-in-duty decided to proceed to the hospital helipad to pick up the passenger. After receiving clearance from the airport dispatcher at 07:08 UTC, the crew inspected the Mil Mi-2, registration RA-23710, and found no issues with the aircraft's condition. The helicopter had been refueled earlier that day with 1070 liters (850 kg) of fuel, which was sufficient for the planned mission.
The flight departed Kazan Airport at 07:37 UTC. The takeoff and departure from the airport area were completed without any deviations from standard procedures. According to the crew, all engine and system parameters remained normal during the initial flight phase. At 07:46 UTC, the helicopter landed at the Republican Clinical Hospital helipad. The crew informed Air Traffic Control of a planned 30-minute stop and shut down the engines. After the medical passenger boarded, the crew began pre-flight preparations for the next leg of the flight.