What happened
On September 28, 2018, a Robinson R44, registration RA-04392, was engaged in a planned ferry flight. The aircraft was being operated under a lease agreement by the pilot in command. The intended route for the flight was from Srednekolymsk to Zyryanka, continuing through Ust-Nera, Teply Klyuch (Khandyga settlement), and ending at Yakutsk (Vladimirovka settlement). The flight was scheduled to begin at 22:00, and flight plans had been submitted to Air Traffic Control services via the "Solnechny" helicopter club located in Voronezh.
The pilot in command was responsible for both the pre-flight maintenance and the refueling of the aircraft. No pre-flight medical examination was conducted for the pilot, though this was noted as being in compliance with specific regulations regarding airfields lacking medical personnel. Before departure, the pilot obtained meteorological information via radio from the Srednekolymsk airport air traffic controller and through technical tracking equipment (Garmin SPOT-INRIC).
The investigation
Investigators examined the pilot's methods for obtaining weather data and the procedures for flight planning. It was determined that the pilot did not personally contact the meteorologists at the Srednekolymsk weather station for a consultation prior to takeoff. Instead, the pilot relied on information provided by the air traffic controller at the Srednekolymsk control tower.