What happened
On June 28, an agricultural mission involving a pesticide spray operation resulted in a fatal accident in North Kazakhstan. The flight departed at 03:30 local time from the Petrovka region, carrying a payload of 1.2 tons of pesticides. While operating at a low altitude less than 20 minutes into the flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of control. The plane transitioned into a 30-degree nose-down pitch followed by a 45-degree left bank before impacting a forested area.
The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. Both crew members sustained serious injuries during the crash. While the pilot survived, the co-pilot succumbed to his injuries on July 1st, bringing the total fatalities to 1.
Findings
Investigations into the accident focused on the operational conditions of the flight crew. It was determined that the crew had been working excessively long shifts, flying for more than 13 hours each day during the eight-day period spanning June 20 to June 28. The investigation concluded that extreme fatigue among the crew members was the primary factor leading to the loss of control.