On May 1, 2022, an Mi-8T helicopter, registration RA-24212, was conducting forestry aviation work on a route between the settlements of Sretensk and Mogoch. The flight plan included several geodetic points at an altitude of 300 meters within Class G airspace. The crew consisted of three crew members and one flight observer.
Prior to departure from Sretensk, the captain performed pre-flight preparations and analyzed weather forecasts, which were found to be within flight minimums. Because no medical professional was available at the Sretensk settlement, the captain exercised authority under Federal Aviation Regulations to authorize the flight after confirming airspace notifications with the Irkutsk Airspace Control Center.
Following engine start and system tests at 05:06, the aircraft performed a test hover and departed Sretensk at 05:15, heading toward the Moklaka area. The accident occurred near the Mogoch railway station, approximately 2 km northwest of the station in the Mogochinsky District.
The investigation of the aircraft, RA-24212, included a detailed examination of the engines and the tail rotor gearbox. While the left engine and tail rotor gearbox showed significant damage from high temperatures during a post-crash fire and mechanical impact from the main rotor, no mechanical failures were identified as the cause of the accident.