What happened
The flight originated at Irkutsk Airport with the objective of transporting a medical patient to Nizhne-Ilimsk. The itinerary included intermediate stops at Balagansk, Zhigalovo, and Ust-Kut. After spending the night in Balagansk, the pilot resumed operations on December 26, heading toward Zhigalovo. The aircraft failed to arrive at its intended destination, prompting the launch of search and rescue efforts. These operations were eventually suspended after several days without success, as no trace of the airplane or its three occupants was located.
Findings
Investigators concluded that the pilot likely faced reduced visibility caused by fog during the approach to Zhigalovo. This condition probably led to the airfield being missed, causing the aircraft to deviate from its planned track by approximately 150 kilometers into the region of the Kirenga River. The final loss of the craft is attributed to fuel exhaustion, resulting in a crash in that remote area. Despite extensive efforts, the wreckage was never recovered.