What happened
On April 3, 2010, the pilot-in-command, who also owned the aircraft, intended to conduct a series of training and check flights both within and outside the vicinity of Bykovo airfield. The aircraft involved was a Beechcraft C-24R, registration RA-1098G. The flight plan for this date had been submitted by the pilot the previous day. The airspace usage plan for April 1 and April 3, 2010, was provided on March 31, 2010, by the Deputy General Director for Flight Operations of the Non-profit Partnership "Soyuz Aviatorov Krylya".
The flight schedule was set to utilize airspace during daylight hours between 06:30 and 15:00. The pilot's specific start time of 08:00 was established via pre-flight instructions issued by the Deputy General Director at the organization's office. The mission profile, as detailed in the approved methodical plan for airfield flights, required the pilot to complete five training circuits using a second-lap departure. Following a one-hour break, the crew was scheduled to perform several additional maneuvers, including aerobatic training, a check flight under a shroud, and a route check flight. The total planned flight duration was 2 hours and 51 minutes.
The investigation
The investigation examined the regulatory framework and flight classifications used for the mission. It was noted that the flight plan was shared with the Bykovo airfield dispatcher. A significant discrepancy was identified regarding the terminology used in the flight mission. The classification of the mission as a "check flight" was not recognized under the existing civil aviation regulations (NP P GA-85 or FAP-128). Instead, the terms "check flight" and "preliminary aircraft preparation" were identified as terminology belonging to state aviation documents (ROSTO-DOSAAF) rather than civil aviation standards. Additionally, the crew composition for the mission, as per flight assignment No. 004/10, included the Deputy General Director for Flight Operations.