What happened
A scheduled flight departed from Srednekolymsk Airport at 11:47 local time, bound for Orlovo. The single engine airplane was operating with two pilots and 12 passengers on board. While the initial weather conditions provided 50 km of visibility, conditions changed approximately 19 minutes after takeoff as fog moved into the area, reducing visibility to less than 1,000 meters.
Rather than reverting to the departure airfield, the crew proceeded toward the destination. In an effort to maintain visual contact with the terrain, the pilot descended to a lower altitude. The aircraft spent roughly 46 minutes circling the Orlovo region in search of a suitable landing site, but the crew was unable to locate the field through the fog and subsequently decided to fly back to Srednekolymsk.
During the final approach to Srednekolymsk Airport, the engine ceased functioning. The crew attempted an emergency landing procedure, but the aircraft struck the ground 4 km before reaching the runway. Although the aircraft sustained damage beyond repair, all 14 occupants managed to exit the wreckage uninjured.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the engine failure was a direct result of fuel exhaustion. The crew's decision to continue the flight despite visibility dropping below minimum requirements left them with insufficient fuel reserves to complete the mission and return safely.