What happened
An aircraft operating a mail delivery service departed from Khabarovsk, destined for the Kurung gold mine situated within the Konder Mountain Range. During the flight, while maintaining an altitude of approximately 15 meters, the captain instructed the third pilot and a passenger to discard mail bags from the aircraft.
During this process, the aircraft type struck a tall larch tree, which led to a subsequent crash and an intense post-impact fire. The accident resulted in two fatalities, involving both pilots on board. The remaining two occupants sustained injuries during the impact.
Findings
Investigation into the incident revealed that the instruction to jettison the mail bags was not part of the original flight mission parameters but was an unauthorized decision made by the captain. The crash occurred because the crew misjudged the proximity to trees while attempting to discard the cargo at a very low altitude.