What happened
On July 29, 2009, a crew consisting of a pilot in command, a co-pilot, a flight engineer, and an airfield training inspector prepared for a scheduled training flight. The aircraft, a Mil Mi-8T, registration RA-25312, was operated by the airline Polyarnye Airlines. The original flight plan involved a route from Magan to the Dyelenje River, the Verkhoyansk Range, and the Tumara River basin, intended to serve as a post-vacation proficiency check for the pilot in command.
Due to unfavorable weather forecasts for the long-distance route, the crew was notified that the primary flight was canceled, and they instead proceeded with a secondary plan for airfield-based training. The crew had completed at least 14 hours of rest prior to the mission. The training mission, designated as flight No. 1948, was authorized by the flight director on July 28, 2009. The training syllabus required the pilot in command to perform four approaches using a blind approach procedure and four landings with one engine throttled back.
On the morning of the flight, the crew underwent mandatory pre-flight medical examinations at the Magan airport medical station at 05:04 and received a meteorological briefing at 05:12. All necessary documentation and regulatory requirements for the crew's professional training and medical fitness were in order prior to the commencement of the flight operations.