What happened
On April 26, 2011, the pilot in command requested flight authorization for a Cetus A702, registration RA-1159G, to operate near the Svobodny landing site. This request was denied by the Southern Air Traffic Management Division due to the absence of a valid airworthiness certificate and third-party insurance.
On April 30, 2011, a separate flight authorization was requested and granted for a different aircraft, a Cetus A1000, registration RA-1777G. This aircraft, which was not owned by the pilot in command of the first request, successfully completed a flight starting at 09:22 and landing at 09:42.
At 10:04, the crew of the Cetus A702, registration RA-1159G, performed an unauthorized takeoff. To mask their identity, the crew reported to the Krasnodar (Pashkovsky) air traffic controller using the callsign of the authorized Cetus A1000, registration RA-1777G. After performing several aerobatic maneuvers over the Svobodny site, the aircraft attempted a vertical turn. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck the ground within the boundaries of a military unit.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events following the unauthorized takeoff and the crew's attempt to misidentify their aircraft to air traffic control. Witnesses located approximately 330 meters from the landing site, as well as a passing motorist, observed the crash.