What happened
At approximately 18:05 local time, an aircraft departed from Peledui during a period of unfavorable weather. Shortly after the departure, roughly two and a half minutes into the flight, the crew determined that the meteorological conditions were more severe than initially anticipated. The flight was operating in visibility levels below established minimums, characterized by active snowfall and degraded sightlines.
While navigating through these white-out conditions, the aircraft impacted the snow-covered surface of the frozen Lena River, situated approximately 7.5 km southwest of the airfield. The impact caused the aircraft to cartwheel before coming to a final position upside down. The accident resulted in four injuries, involving both pilots and both passengers on board. The aircraft was destroyed during the event.
Findings
- The crew proceeded with takeoff despite the presence of poor weather conditions.
- The aircraft encountered extreme white-out conditions involving heavy snowfall and low visibility.
- The impact occurred on the frozen surface of the Lena River.