Crew and Aircraft Information
On 29 November 2015, at 04:00 local time, the crew of Helicopter AS-350 B3, registration RA-04037, arrived at the landing site 'Polygon SKOL'. The crew consisted of two pilots-in-command: one serving as the pilot flying and the other as the monitoring pilot. The flight was a commercial air transport operation under a customer request from OAO RITEK (request No. 190RZ-RBN dated 27 November 2015). The departure was scheduled for 05:30.
Preflight Activities
At 04:25, the crew began preflight preparation. At 04:30, they underwent medical control with no health issues noted, and the sanitary log recorded the findings. At 04:35, they proceeded to the navigator's room to refine the flight plan and route. At 04:45, the crew received the flight request, NOTAM for 29 November 2015, and confirmation for fuel refueling at Khanty-Mansiysk Airport from the dispatcher at the Air Operations Department.
Weather and Aircraft Status
At 05:11, the pilot-in-command obtained weather forecasts for the Surgut and Khanty-Mansiysk areas from the meteorological forecaster at Surgut Airport. The forecast did not preclude the flight. At 05:24, the crew arrived at the helicopter. No discrepancies were noted regarding the aircraft's maintenance or condition, as recorded in the aircraft logbook.
Takeoff and Initial Flight
At 05:40, the helicopter departed from the 'Polygon SKOL' landing site. The takeoff mass was 1939 kg, well within the maximum takeoff mass of 2250 kg specified in the AS-350 B3 Flight Manual. The center of gravity was at 3.404 meters, within the allowable range of 3.2 to 3.65 meters. At 06:15, the helicopter exited the Surgut Aerodrome Control Zone and entered the Khanty-Mansiysk Aerodrome Control Zone, which the pilot-in-command reported to the air traffic controller. The source narrative concludes at this point.