What happened
On August 21, 2015, a Robinson R-66 helicopter, registration RA-06354, was conducting a flight for general aviation purposes. The flight originated from a landing site near Arkhangelskoye, located approximately 10 km northeast of Tula, with a planned destination of Bunkovo in the Istra district of the Moscow region. At 10:17, the pilot contacted the Kaluga-Region air traffic controller to report a successful takeoff and to confirm the flight plan from Tula to Bunkovo.
At 11:12, the COSPAS-SARSAT system recorded an emergency signal from the aircraft's 406 MHz distress beacon. The helicopter subsequently struck the ground, causing substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot survived the impact without injuries.
The investigation
Investigators determined that the pilot had completed all pre-flight preparations independently. However, the investigation revealed that the pilot had not undergone the required pre-flight medical examination. While the weather conditions—both forecasted and actual—were suitable for flight under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), the investigation focused on the circumstances leading to the impact with the terrain.