Flight Overview
On 22 February 2009, an Antonov An-2 (registration EX-68039) operated by Golden Rule Airlines was scheduled for flight GRS 4571 from Bishkek (Ak-Chiy) to Bukhara. The flight was conducted as a ferry operation. Alternate airports were designated as Shymkent and Samarkand. The planned cruising altitude was 3,900 meters.
Crew and Additional Personnel
The flight crew consisted of the pilot-in-command (PIC) and a second pilot. The second pilot also served as the pilot-instructor and director of flight services for the airline. The flight assignment included an aircraft technician and a manager-translator.
Pre-Flight Preparation
According to the airline's pre-flight preparation log, a full crew briefing was conducted on 20 December 2008 at the airline office at Ak-Chiy aerodrome. The session was led by the pilot-instructor, who subsequently acted as the second pilot on the flight. No additional specialists were involved in this preparation.
Pre-Flight and Medical Check
The flight was originally scheduled to depart at 05:30 UTC. The crew arrived at the Ak-Chiy control tower at 03:00 UTC. Because no medical worker was available at the aerodrome, as required by local flight operations instructions for pre-flight medical examinations, the PIC conducted the medical check of the crew members. No health complaints were reported. The pre-flight check was performed under the supervision of the PIC with the aerodrome controller. The departure time was subsequently postponed to 06:30 UTC due to delays.