What happened
Following the completion of a cargo mission between Tiksi and Borogon, an empty aircraft was performing a ferry flight back to Tiksi. There were no passengers or cargo on board at the time of the incident. During the initial climb following takeoff from Borogon, the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 8 meters while traveling at a speed of 120 km/h.
At this stage of the flight, the flaps unexpectedly transitioned from a 30° setting to zero. This sudden change caused the aircraft to enter an uncontrolled descent. The plane impacted the snow-covered terrain roughly 250 meters beyond the runway threshold. While the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it beyond repair, all three crew members managed to exit the wreckage with only minor injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified a short-circuit in the flap control button as the primary factor. It was determined that condensation had caused corrosion of the electrical resistances within the switch, leading to the premature and accidental retraction of the flaps during the climb.