What happened
During an agricultural mission for a local collective farm, a crew was performing a takeoff from an airfield in the Kursk district. The aircraft failed to utilize the entire available runway length during its departure roll. As the flight attempted to climb, the pilot initiated a rotation at an insufficient airspeed, leading to a significant loss of momentum and altitude.
While flying at a low altitude over a wooded area located just beyond the airport perimeter, the captain extended the flaps to 37 degrees. This configuration change further reduced the aircraft's speed and caused it to lose more height. The aircraft type struck the treetops and crashed approximately 1,890 meters past the runway threshold. The impact triggered a fire that completely destroyed the plane. The accident resulted in one fatality (the captain) and one injury (the copilot).
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical errors during the takeoff phase. The primary cause was attributed to inadequate flight preparation and incorrect takeoff configuration by the pilot-in-command. Specifically, the pilot failed to use the full runway length and began the rotation while the engine power was too low for a safe climb. The high flap setting of 37 degrees contributed to an excessive nose-up attitude and a dangerous angle of attack. Additionally, the limited flight experience of the copilot, who had only 90 total flying hours, was noted as a contributing factor to the outcome.