What happened
On March 14, 2016, an Robinson R44, registration RA-04179, was performing a scheduled pipeline patrol mission for Transneft-Ural. The flight route was intended to cover Sterlitamak, Zilair, Akkyar, and Orsk, returning to the starting point. While the flight was originally scheduled to depart at 04:00, the departure time was delayed to 06:00 at the request of the client.
During the mission, the pilot was accompanied by one passenger, and no cargo was being transported. While operating near the settlement of Akkyar, the pilot encountered weather conditions that did not meet Visual Flight Rules (VFR) requirements, specifically involving supercooled precipitation. Consequently, the pilot decided to terminate the mission and return to the departure airfield.
While performing the return flight, the pilot attempted to navigate visually. However, as the aircraft approached the area near the settlement of Voskresenskoye, the weather deteriorated further, making it impossible to continue under VFR. The pilot initiated a forced landing, during which the helicopter overturned onto its left side. There were no fatalities reported in the incident.
The investigation
Following the event, the pilot reported the accident to the airline's flight detachment commander and the Ufa air traffic controller. The investigation focused on the flight conditions and the decision-making process regarding the mission's continuation despite the worsening weather.