Accident
On a charter flight from Magadan to Seymchan, a single-engine airplane operated by T-Cement was carrying 12 pilots and 12 mining employees, along with 445 kilograms of luggage and personal belongings. After takeoff from the snow-covered runway 01, while climbing to a height of 10 metres, the aircraft entered a nose-up attitude and its speed decreased. At a height of about 30 metres, the angle of attack increased to 24° and the speed dropped to 65 km/h, causing the aircraft to stall. It crashed in a snow-covered field approximately 240 metres past the runway end. All 14 occupants evacuated safely, and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the aircraft stalled during initial climb because its total weight was above the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) and its center of gravity (CofG) was well beyond the aft limit. The crew failed to prepare the flight according to procedure, did not perform a mass and balance calculation, and the passengers and luggage were incorrectly placed in the cabin relative to the CofG.