Incident Details
The accident occurred when a crew, apparently hurried to avoid a night flight to Svetly after some passengers were late, neglected to prepare the flight properly. No engine runup was performed prior to taxi and takeoff. During taxi, the aircraft experienced controllability problems, prompting the crew to select the propeller lever to the fine pitch position. The takeoff procedure was initiated without checks, and the crew forgot to return the propeller lever to the takeoff position.
After liftoff, at a height of 3 to 5 meters, the aircraft encountered difficulties gaining height and speed. The crew attempted an emergency landing, but the aircraft collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area. All 15 occupants escaped uninjured, while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable Cause
The official findings state the probable cause as poor flight preparation by the crew, who failed to follow the pre-taxi and pre-takeoff checklists. The aircraft was unable to gain sufficient speed and height after takeoff because the propeller lever was not in the correct position.