What happened
During an agricultural spraying operation conducted for the Sakhaptinsky sovkhoz, an aircraft experienced a sudden loss of power. While maintaining an altitude of approximately 50 meters, the pilot-in-command began a right-hand turn at an angle between 20 and 25 degrees. During this maneuver, the engine began to misrun.
As a result of the engine instability, the aircraft lost altitude and impacted the terrain while in a 45-degree right bank. The wreckage came to a stop approximately 74 meters from the initial point of impact. The accident resulted in three serious injuries. While all occupants survived the initial crash, the technician passed away three days after the event, and the co-pilot died six days later.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the engine failure was linked to fuel starvation. The engine malfunctioned specifically when the pilot initiated the right turn because the engine was connected to the left fuel tank, which had become nearly empty at that moment.