Accident Details
A single-engine airplane was completing a flight from Ventsy (Krai of Krasnodar) to Maykop, carrying two pilots and one mechanic. While on approach to Maykop Airport, the crew faced weather conditions below minima, with cloud ceiling at 100 meters and visibility of 1 kilometer. The crew was unable to establish visual contact with the runway. When air traffic control suggested the crew return to Ventsy, the pilot reported being short on fuel. Shortly after, the engine failed, the aircraft lost altitude, and crashed in an open field 3 kilometers from the airport. The airplane burst into flames upon impact. All three occupants were killed.
Weather and Communication
Prior to departure from Ventsy, the weather bulletin transmitted to the crew was not relevant and did not reflect the actual conditions at Maykop. Additionally, air traffic control failed to transmit suitable information to the crew during the approach.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause cited engine failure due to fuel exhaustion, compounded by the receipt of an irrelevant weather bulletin and inadequate communication from ATC.