What happened
On June 10, 2016, an unplanned flight was conducted in a Sokol-2M, registration RA-1801G. The pilot intended to fly from the Pisarevka landing site to Bolshaya Ivanovka to prepare for upcoming agricultural work. Although the aircraft owner had not scheduled any flights for that day, the pilot arrived at Pisarevka at 05:30 after resting at home for over eight hours.
The pilot did not undergo a medical examination before departure, though regulations permitted the pilot to self-authorize flight readiness in the absence of medical staff. No flight plan was filed with air traffic control, and no flight assignment had been issued. After performing a pre-flight inspection and refueling the aircraft with AI-95 gasoline, the pilot took off from Pisarevka at 06:30.
During the flight, the pilot flew toward a field located approximately 6 km southwest of the takeoff site to inspect it. While flying at a low altitude, the aircraft struck a power line and subsequently impacted the ground. The accident resulted in serious injuries to the pilot and significant damage to the aircraft, though no fire occurred at the scene.
The investigation
Investigators found that the pilot had not requested meteorological information from the local weather station prior to takeoff. Additionally, the aircraft was operated without a formal flight assignment or an approved plan for the use of airspace. The investigation also noted that the chemical tank had not been filled for the intended agricultural tasks.