What happened
The flight originated in Alma-Ata with the destination of Balkhash, including intermediate stops at Karaganda and Taldykorgan. Upon arrival at the destination, the pilot executed an approach that resulted in a misconfiguration for landing. A crosswind component affected the aircraft during descent, causing it to touch down on only one set of landing gear.
The pilot responded by increasing engine power to initiate a go-around maneuver. During the subsequent circuit, the aircraft faced winds reaching 47 km/h. Due to handling techniques that were deemed inappropriate for the conditions, the airplane descended to an altitude of just 20 metres. While executing a turn at this low height, the aircraft stalled and impacted the ground approximately two kilometres from the runway. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire that destroyed the airframe.
Findings
All 10 occupants were killed in the accident. The investigation identified that the pilot violated Article 175 of the flight manual by performing a turn at an altitude that was too low for the final phase of the maneuver. Further review revealed that the pilot lacked sufficient experience on this specific aircraft type and had been dispatched in a solo capacity without holding the necessary certification. Records indicated that the administration had authorized his solo status only the day following the crash.