What happened
Between July 20 and July 24, 2018, the pilot, who served as the director of TransService LLC, planned a series of flights using a Cirrus SR-22, registration RA-01781. The intended itinerary included traveling from Tomsk to Novosibirsk, with subsequent legs to Omsk, Surgut, Strezhevoy, and other locations.
On July 20, 2018, the pilot completed a flight from Tomsk to Novosibirsk. Following this arrival, the pilot picked up a passenger, who was a qualified flight instructor, to continue the planned route. The passenger noted that they had previously flown together on several occasions between May and July 2018, typically departing from Novosibirsk under the pilot's direction.
The investigation
The investigation examined the operational history and flight planning of the aircraft owned by TransService LLC. It was noted that the pilot was authorized to operate the aircraft under a power of attorney issued in May 2018. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's fuel capacity and consumption rates, noting that the Cirrus SR-22 possesses a total fuel capacity of 345 liters across two wing tanks, with an average consumption of approximately 45 liters per hour, providing an estimated endurance of 7.6 hours.