Accident Overview
An aircraft operating a passenger flight for an oil exploration company crashed shortly after takeoff from Aktyubinsk. The flight was bound for Kenkiyak with 12 passengers and a crew of two. During the initial climb, at a height of 5 to 7 meters and a speed of 120 km/h, the airplane banked left, lost height, and struck the ground 210 meters from the end of the runway. It rolled for approximately 26 meters before coming to rest. Two passengers were killed, and the other 12 occupants sustained serious injuries.
Flight Details
The takeoff rotation was completed at 80 km/h after a ground roll of 180 meters. The aircraft was on its first passenger flight; it had previously been used for support and other missions. No further details about the aircraft type or registration were provided in the investigation.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the loss of control during initial climb was the consequence of a weight and balance problem. Investigators found that several items of equipment, including radios and batteries, had been moved to the rear of the cabin by a local manufacturing plant. This relocation shifted the center of gravity aft by 4%, placing it outside the allowable envelope. For reasons that remain unknown, the aircraft's technical documents were not updated to reflect these changes, and the crew was not informed of the modifications. The probable cause of the accident was the weight and balance issue resulting from the unrecorded equipment relocation, which rendered the center of gravity too far aft.