What happened
During an agricultural mission for the Dobriment State Farm in Durovo, Lipetsk oblast, an aircraft was performing spraying operations at a low altitude. While flying approximately 6 meters above the ground, the plane experienced a sudden nose-down pitch of between 19 and 23 degrees, accompanied by a rightward roll of 3 to 6 degrees. The aircraft subsequently collided with trees and crashed roughly 2.5 km from its designated takeoff and landing area.
The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were three fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the crash revealed that the pilot was operating the aircraft while severely intoxicated. Testing confirmed a blood alcohol concentration of 2.5‰ and a urine alcohol concentration of 5.1‰, with evidence indicating the captain had consumed alcoholic beverages as recently as two hours before the flight began. While a mallard duck carcass was located at the wreckage site, investigators could not confirm if a bird strike played a role in the loss of control.