What happened
A cargo mission operating out of Salekhard Airport ended in a fatal accident during the evening hours. The aircraft, a single-engine airplane, departed the airfield at 1903LT bound for Mys Kamennyy. At the time of departure, the plane was transporting a cargo load consisting of 41 bottles of alcohol, bringing the total weight of the aircraft to 800 kilograms.
While performing the initial climb phase at a speed of 230 km/h, the aircraft entered an uncontrollable state. The flight was occurring under polar night conditions. The plane subsequently impacted the snow-covered tundra, approximately 8 km north of Salekhard Airport. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and two fatalities.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the crew experienced spatial disorientation during the night flight. This loss of orientation was triggered by the simultaneous failure of both the AGK-47B artificial horizon and the GPK-48 gyro compass. Reports indicated that these specific instruments had malfunctioned prior to the crash, though the underlying reason for their failure remained undetermined.