What happened
On June 10, 2010, the pilot of an Aviatika-890SX, registration RA-0831G, completed agricultural spraying operations from the Mechetinskaya site in the Zernogradsky district of the Rostov region. At 16:45, the pilot notified the Rostov MDP controller that the work was finished. At approximately 17:00, the pilot flew to a night parking location, landing on a regional highway near the settlement of Prudovyy.
Following the landing, post-flight procedures were completed. The pilot and an aircraft technician from the ROSKAD Stavropol LTK SLA departed the aircraft under guard to stay at a hotel in Zernograd. Preparations for the following day's flight schedule, which was set to begin at 03:00 on June 11, 2010, had been conducted on June 8, 2010. On the morning of June 11, the crew arrived at the Prudovyy site at 00:50 to perform pre-flight inspections and prepare the aircraft for departure.
The investigation
During the pre-flight inspection on June 11, no issues were identified regarding the engine or the aircraft's systems. The crew documented the aircraft's readiness in the flight preparation log. The aircraft was fueled with 30 liters of AI-95 gasoline, and the chemical tank remained empty. The takeoff weight was recorded at 423 kg, which was within the maximum takeoff weight of 495 kg, and the center of gravity was 22.5%, falling within the permitted range of 20% to 29.5%.
However, it was noted that a medical professional, required to authorize flight operations, was not present at the Prudovyy site during the pre-flight phase.