Accident Details
A single-engine airplane departed Kalinin (Tver) at 0747 local time on a flight to Kashin. The aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 450 meters when the crew received weather information for the destination: low clouds, mist, and visibility limited to 1,500 meters.
Sequence of Events
Air traffic control advised the crew to divert to the alternate airport located in Kalyazin, approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Kashin. At 0815, the crew obtained a second weather bulletin, but conditions had not improved. Despite this, the captain decided to continue the flight to Kashin.
While flying in poor visibility at a height of 85 meters, the airplane struck a 101-meter-high TV antenna located a few kilometers from Kashin. The aircraft then dove into the ground and crashed in flames. The airplane was totally destroyed, and all 15 occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be the failure of the crew to divert to the alternate airport and the wrong decision of the captain to continue to Kashin in below-minima weather conditions.