What happened
During an aerial survey mission for the Transneft oil company, a single-engine aircraft was conducting a flight path between Sterlitamak and Orsk, with intermediate stops at Zilair and Akyar. While operating at a low altitude, the crew attempted a turn, at which point the aircraft struck the ground. The impact occurred in a snow-covered field situated approximately 2 km southwest of Gai, roughly 25 km north of Orsk.
The crash resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and the death of all three occupants. There was no post-crash fire reported at the scene.
Findings
At the time of the accident, the flight was operating under challenging meteorological conditions. Local visibility was significantly reduced, ranging from 800 metres to as low as 300 metres in certain areas. Furthermore, the aircraft was flying beneath a cloud base of only 90 metres amidst presence of freezing fog.