What happened
On the morning of the accident, a cargo flight departed from Belkachi at 08:51 local time, destined for Aiykam in the Khabarovsk region. The aircraft was carrying a payload of diesel fuel, bringing its total weight to approximately 1,100 kilograms. The mission was scheduled to arrive at Aiykan Airfield by 09:55 local time.
During the transit, weather conditions worsened, forcing the crew to fly through cloud cover. Following a deviation from the intended flight path, the pilot failed to locate the destination airfield and attempted to turn back. While maintaining an altitude of 1,090 meters within the clouds, the aircraft struck the eastern side of a mountain peak situated at 1,100 meters elevation. The impact occurred approximately 10 km east of Aiykam at coordinates N58°00'15" E134°10'09".
The force of the collision and a subsequent fire following the impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were two fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the accident concluded that the primary factor was controlled flight into terrain. The crew chose to proceed with the flight despite limited visibility and operated at an altitude below the required minimums for the prevailing weather conditions.