What happened
During the polar night, a cargo flight traveling from Dudinka toward the Khantaiskoye Ozero settlement in the Taimyr region underwent an unplanned route modification. Despite experiencing low visibility, the crew elected to shorten their flight path. As the aircraft approached its destination, the crew encountered significant difficulties in determining their exact position because the frequency for the radio beacon at Khantaiskoye Ozero had been altered without prior notification.
While descending, the aircraft struck the northern slope of a mountain situated approximately 28 km east of Khantaiskoye Ozero. The impact occurred at an altitude of 1,016 metres, near a peak measuring 1,044 metres. The accident resulted in one fatality and one serious injury. The co-pilot died in the crash, while the captain sustained severe injuries and was successfully recovered by rescue teams on December 26, 1973.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the crew made improper decisions regarding their flight itinerary during the transit. A significant contributing factor was the unannounced change to the destination's radio beacon frequency, which prevented the crew from maintaining accurate navigational awareness during the approach phase.