On August 31, 2024, an Mi-8T helicopter, registration RA-25656, was operating a commercial charter flight for LLC 'Sneg' in the Kamchatka Territory, approximately 35 km west of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The crew of three was scheduled to perform a series of flights between the settlements of Nikolaevka, Ozernaya, and Vachkazhets, via the Galygina river.
The flight plan had been submitted to the Regional Center of Air Traffic Management on August 30, 2024, and a flight permit had been issued to the Nikolaevka-2 airfield. The crew arrived at the Nikolaevka-2 airfield around 22:30 to begin pre-flight preparations. Due to the absence of a medical professional at the airfield, the captain authorized the flight without a pre-flight medical examination, a decision permitted under specific provisions of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) 128.
During the flight, the aircraft encountered mountainous terrain under conditions of limited visibility. The helicopter collided with a mountainside, causing the deaths of all 22 occupants on board. No other injuries were reported.
Investigations into the incident noted that the flight was being conducted in Class G airspace and followed UTC timing. The accident occurred during the day while the aircraft was performing its planned route.