Overview
On 23 April 2015, the crew of Mi-8T helicopter RA-22919, operated by LLC Air Company "VITYAZ-AERO," was assigned a commercial flight under a private individual's request to transport passengers and cargo along a route: Kozyrevsk site – "47km" site – Anavgay – bend of the Balygangan River – upper reaches of the Tikhaya River – mouth of the Khlebnaya River – bend of the Tikhaya River – mouth of the Sopochaya River – bend of the Tikhaya River – mouth of the Khlebnaya River – upper reaches of the Tikhaya River – bend of the Balygangan River – Anavgay – Esso.
Preflight Preparations
At 02:30, the crew began preflight preparation at the Kozyrevsk landing site. The pilot-in-command (PIC) assessed the crew's health and cleared them for flight. Meteorological information from the Elizovo Air Traffic Control Center, including actual weather at the Esso site and forecast weather for the flight areas, was obtained by telephone from the dispatcher of VITYAZ-AERO's flight operations dispatch service. During preparation, safe altitudes for segments of the planned route were calculated. The crew refueled the helicopter for the upcoming flight. No loading occurred on the segment from Kozyrevsk to the "47km" site. The aircraft was serviceable before the flight; operational maintenance was performed. No defects in the aircraft's systems were noted during the previous flight or upon acceptance by the crew. Crew duties were assigned as follows: the PIC flew the helicopter, and the co-pilot handled communications.
Flight to the 47km Site
At 03:51, the crew took off from the Kozyrevsk landing site. The flight lasted 20 minutes to the "47km" landing site, located on the bank of the Bystraya River. The flight was completed without any remarks.
Loading at the 47km Site
Upon arrival at the "47km" site, the helicopter was loaded with a total mass of 1740 kg, consisting of three passengers and 1500 kg of cargo. The actual takeoff weight was 11,240 kg, and the helicopter's center of gravity was +180 mm, which remained within the limits established by the Mi-8 Flight Manual.