Incident Overview
A single-engine airplane was completing a cargo flight from Karam to Kazashinskoye, carrying a load of 1,194 kilograms of potatoes. Onboard were two pilots and two passengers. During normal cruise, the crew informed air traffic control that they were diverting to Yukhta for unspecified reasons.
Collision and Crash
A few minutes after the diversion, while flying in snowfall, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames on the slope of a mountain located approximately 63 kilometers north of Kazashinskoye. The aircraft initially struck trees at an altitude of 800 meters, gained a little altitude, then crashed 60 meters further into a forest.
Search and Wreckage Discovery
After radio contact was lost and the airplane failed to arrive at its destination, search and rescue operations were initiated. These operations were suspended after a few days as no trace of the aircraft or its four occupants was found. On 21 June 1976, the crew of a helicopter located the wreckage.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, visibility was likely below 2 kilometers and below minimums.
Probable Cause
The decision of the crew to continue the flight in below weather minimums (snow falls) and not returning to their departure point. The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.