What happened
The incident involved a single-engine aircraft operating on a special mission to transport wounded soldiers between Semenov and Andreapol. During the return leg, the pilot was flying south from Andreapol at night when conditions deteriorated significantly. Despite encountering strong turbulence and poor visibility, the pilot chose not to turn back to the departure point but instead continued the flight. This decision led to a loss of control in low-visibility conditions, causing the aircraft to crash into a forested area. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire that destroyed the airframe. The pilot, who was the sole occupant on board, was killed in the accident.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary factor leading to the loss of control was the pilot's decision to continue flying despite worsening weather conditions rather than returning to base. The official findings highlight that this choice resulted in spatial disorientation while navigating in poor visibility, which ultimately caused the crash.