Flight Planning
On 3 October 2021, a Robinson R44 helicopter registered RA-04172 was scheduled to perform nine flights from the Kondor landing site (п.п. Кондор) under visual flight rules in airspace classes C and G for general aviation. The pilot-in-command (PIC) filed flight plans and obtained necessary permissions. The PIC operated the helicopter under a power of attorney issued by the owner on 22 October 2020, valid for one year.
Pre-flight and Medical
The PIC conducted the pre-flight preparation of the helicopter on the day of the accident. However, the preparation was not documented, as no aircraft logbook was maintained. The PIC did not undergo a pre-flight medical examination, which was permitted under regulations (FAP-128, section 8.10.1) because the landing site lacked a medical professional authorized to perform such exams; in that case, the PIC decides on crew fitness.
Undocumented Flight
Analysis of data from onboard systems (flight parameter recorder and GPS tracker) revealed that between 14:38 and 14:52, a flight was conducted that was not reported to air traffic control. Consequently, a total of ten flights were actually performed on the accident day, with the tenth flight ending in an accident. The total flight time for the day was approximately 4 hours and 14 minutes.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Accident Flight
After the ninth flight, the PIC reported landing at Kondor to the Myachkovo landing site (п.п. Мячково) dispatcher at 16:22:48. According to coordination instructions, the Myachkovo dispatcher also handled Kondor traffic. During the subsequent parking period, two passengers boarded the helicopter. At 16:24:54, the PIC informed the Myachkovo dispatcher of an intention to perform a hover check and takeoff. The accident occurred during the tenth flight.
The source does not provide further details on the nature of the accident, such as damage, injuries, or post-impact events.