What happened
A single-engine cargo aircraft departed from the Murmansk-Murmashi Airport, bound for Umba. The flight was transporting 855 kilograms of mail along with 158 kilograms of various goods. Shortly after the departure, the crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions. In an attempt to navigate the worsening visibility, the aircraft drifted approximately 3 km to the right of its intended flight path.
During this phase of flight, the plane impacted a snow-covered hill at an elevation of 427 meters, striking the slope just three meters below the peak. The impact caused the aircraft to traverse the opposite side of the hill before coming to a halt in an inverted position, approximately 30 meters below the summit. The wreckage subsequently caught fire. The accident occurred roughly 20 km south of Murmashi Airport.
Findings
The crash resulted in two casualties: both crew members sustained serious injuries during the impact. While one member survived the initial event, the captain passed away from his wounds five days after the accident. Investigations concluded that the primary factor was inadequate flight preparation by the crew, which led to their failure to adhere to the established flight path following takeoff.