What happened
During a flight segment traveling from Urdzhar to Ayaguz, the crew encountered heavy snowfall and visibility that had fallen below established minimums. While navigating through these difficult conditions, the aircraft lost its orientation and struck the slope of Mt Tikasu at an altitude of 1,850 metres. The impact occurred near a peak reaching 2,151 metres, approximately 30 km from Nekrasovka. Following the collision, the aircraft caught fire and was completely destroyed.
There were 6 total occupants on board, consisting of two pilots and four passengers. All 6 individuals sustained injuries during the accident. Following the crash, the captain managed to navigate through deep snow and rugged mountainous terrain for 18 hours before reaching Nekrasovka on 13 February 1968. The remaining five passengers and crew members were later located and evacuated by a Mil Mi-4 helicopter crew on 14 February 1968.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the primary factor in the accident was the decision by the crew to proceed with the flight despite encountering weather conditions that were below the required visibility minimums.