What happened
On December 28, 2009, a Mi-8T, registration RA-24209, operated by Koryak Airlines (KorAP), was scheduled to perform a flight from the Anavgay landing site to Tigil Airport in the Tigilsky District of the Kamchatka Krai. The flight was requested by an individual entrepreneur for the purpose of transporting commercial food supplies. The flight plan had been submitted to and approved by the Zonal Air Traffic Control Center in Khabarovsk, authorizing the use of airspace for the period of December 28–29, 2009.
The investigation
The investigation reviewed the crew's qualifications and training history. The crew, consisting of a pilot-in-command, a co-pilot, and a flight engineer, was authorized to fly in mountainous terrain and select landing sites at altitudes up to 1,000 meters. While the crew had completed various training sessions, including simulator training in Khabarovsk and recent practice landings on fresh snow in November 2009, discrepancies were noted in their recent proficiency checks. Specifically, the pilot-in-command's last proficiency check under minimum weather conditions was recorded on July 21, 2008. The investigation found that the required proficiency check, as mandated by the Mi-8 flight manual, had not been performed throughout 2009. Pre-flight preparation for the crew was documented as having been completed on October 14, 2009, at Tilichiki airfield.