What happened
A cargo operation traveling from Krasnodar to Sterlitamak via Volgograd and Uralsk ended in an accident during the initial climb. The aircraft was transporting two pilots, two passengers, and a large shipment of bees contained in numerous boxes. Immediately after departing the runway, at an altitude of approximately 1.5 meters, the aircraft experienced a loss of airspeed which led to a tail stall. This caused the rear of the plane to strike the runway surface.
The aircraft became uncontrollable, traveling several hundred meters along the ground before eventually crashing 420 meters beyond the end of the runway. While all four occupants sustained injuries during the impact, one passenger later succumbed to their wounds. The aircraft was destroyed in the accident.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the crew did not follow standard flight preparation protocols, specifically regarding the distribution and weight of the cargo. An error in estimating the weight of the bee boxes led to an excessive amount of cargo being loaded into the hold. At the time of departure, the aircraft's total mass was 6,081 kilograms, which exceeded the maximum takeoff weight by 831 kilograms. Furthermore, the center of gravity was positioned at 40.8%, which was beyond the aft limit. This overweight condition and improper weight distribution rendered the aircraft unable to be operated safely.