On August 2, 2020, a pilot planned several flights involving light aircraft at the Podgornoye and Valdau airfields in the Kaliningrad region of Russia. Following a medical examination and several flights in a separate Cessna-206, the pilot prepared for an afternoon aerial photography mission using a Cessna F-172H, registration RA-67551.
The planned flight was to depart from the Valdau airfield with two passengers on board. The aircraft, owned by a private individual, was based at the Valdau airfield under a verbal agreement with the airfield owner. The mission was intended to take place within Class G airspace.
Records indicate that a required notification for the use of airspace, as mandated by the Federal Aviation Regulations of the Russian Federation, was not submitted to air traffic control authorities prior to the planned activity. However, subsequent information from the branch 'Aeronavigatsiya Severo-Zapada' indicated that a notification regarding the flight was eventually received.
Investigations into the aircraft's status revealed that while a Certificate of Airworthiness (CoA) had been issued in July 2017, the certificate was valid only until July 3, 2019. Furthermore, documentation required to confirm compliance with airworthiness standards was noted as missing during the review of the aircraft's certification history.