What happened
On December 7, 2012, a Robinson R-44 II, registration RA-04189, completed a flight from the Khorugvino landing site in the Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region to the settlement of Ploski in the Konakovsky district of the Tver region. The pilot was accompanied by one passenger during this initial leg.
On the following day, December 8, 2012, the pilot refueled the aircraft and departed from the landing site in Ploski at approximately 07:00. After flying to Khorugvino, the pilot proceeded to the settlement of Ozeretskoye in the Dmitrovsky district of the Moscow region, where two additional passengers boarded the helicopter. The pilot then returned to the landing site in Ploski, arriving at approximately 11:00.
At 13:30, the pilot initiated a takeoff from the landing site in Ploski, intending to fly back to the Khorugvino landing site. During this flight, no flight plan for VFR operations had been submitted to air traffic control services, and no flight authorization had been granted.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed witness statements and air traffic control records. A witness noted that the flight on December 7 involved the pilot and one passenger, while the flight on December 8 included the pickup of two passengers in Ozeretskoye. The investigation confirmed that the flight path was within Class G airspace, which did not require specific authorization from air traffic control authorities. However, it was determined that the pilot had not undergone a pre-flight medical examination prior to the flight on December 8.