Flight Details
On January 7, 2009, at 04:06 UTC, the crew of a Mi-171 helicopter (registration RA-22463) operated by the Tomsk branch of Gazpromavia (OOO Aviapredpriyatie Gazpromavia) departed Tomsk on flight GZP 9252. The crew consisted of the captain, co-pilot, flight engineer, and a senior flight engineer acting as a check pilot. Two technical personnel were on board to service the helicopter at landing points. The planned route was Tomsk – Biysk – Gorno-Altaysk area – Chemal area.
Background
The flight was organized in response to a request (guarantee letter) dated December 22, 2008, from the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Altai Republic to the Director of the Tomsk branch of Gazpromavia. The letter stated that the helicopter would be based at the TurSib tourist base in the Chemalsky District, with preliminary work areas including Kosh-Agach and Dzhazator. A more precise route was to be communicated later.
An identical request for an Mi-8 helicopter had been made to the Altai Aviation Base for Aviation Forest Protection (Avialesookhrana) based in Gorno-Altaysk. The request was initially agreed, but a flight restriction was implemented from December 26, 2008, limiting Gorno-Altaysk aerodrome to emergency rescue and medical flights only. The organizer was informed of this restriction.
On December 26, 2008, flight assignment No. 32 was issued for Gazpromavia. The type of work to be performed was specified in this assignment.