Incident
A scheduled passenger flight departed Batagay en route to Lazo. On board were 10 passengers and two pilots. During the flight, the crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions, including low visibility and icing. While cruising in low clouds at an altitude of 860 meters, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain in the Lazo region. The aircraft was destroyed on impact, resulting in the death of all 12 occupants.
Investigation
The official investigation examined the circumstances leading to the accident. According to the findings, the weather conditions encountered were slightly worse than those forecast. The crew decided to continue the flight into visibility below the prescribed minimums, despite lacking visual contact with the ground. Additionally, it was determined that the copilot had a blood alcohol level of 1‰, a factor noted as possibly influencing his decisions and capabilities.
Probable Cause
The investigation identified the following probable cause: weather conditions were slightly worse than forecast. The crew took the decision to continue the flight into visibility that was below minimums when no visual contact with ground could be established. The copilot had a blood alcohol level of 1‰ which may have influenced his decisions and capabilities.