Flight Planning
On November 7, 2017, a flight was planned using An-2 aircraft RA-02305, owned by OOO Zodiak Group and operated under lease by NP Dal Trans Aero. The purpose was to evaluate the piloting and navigation skills of a candidate for a captain vacancy and to transport cargo. The intended route was from Ekimchan aerodrome to Udskoye aerodrome and back. An airspace usage request was filed on November 6, 2017, with the Khabarovsk Air Traffic Management Center, specifying the flight route. Permission for flights under Visual Flight Rules in Class C and G airspace was obtained in a timely manner. The departure was scheduled for 08:00 local time.
Preflight Activities
At 06:30 on November 7, the commander, an instructor pilot, and an aircraft technician arrived at Ekimchan aerodrome. The technician began the preflight inspection of the aircraft. The commander received weather information from the aerodrome's meteorological officer. No preflight medical check was performed, which was in accordance with regulations. The technician completed aircraft servicing and fueling. Cargo loading was supervised by the aerodrome's cargo handling service.
Departure
The commander performed a preflight inspection as per the An-2 Flight Manual, accepted the aircraft from the technician, started and tested the engine. No issues were noted with the engine or aircraft systems. At 08:18, the crew—consisting of the commander and the instructor pilot (the technician remained on the ground)—requested engine start clearance from the control tower. After receiving clearance, the engine was started. At 08:23, after taxiing to the runway holding point, the crew requested takeoff clearance. The aircraft took off at 08:25, and the crew reported the successful departure and began climbing.