What happened
During a night departure from the airport, the aircraft completed a standard takeoff roll on runway 24R. At a speed of 290 km/h, the plane became airborne while the co-pilot was managing the controls. The flight environment was characterized by low visibility due to nighttime operations and marginal weather conditions.
Shortly after beginning its ascent, the aircraft entered a steep right bank, reaching an angle between 60 and 70 degrees. During this maneuver, the airspeed rose sharply to 580 km/h. As the plane began an uncontrolled descent, the captain assumed control of the aircraft. Approximately three minutes after departing the runway, the plane struck the ground near the village of Klushino, located roughly 10 km northwest of the airfield, at a speed of 620 km/h. The impact caused a massive explosion and the total disintegration of the airframe. There were 73 fatalities and no survivors.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the crew experienced spatial disorientation during the climb. This loss of situational awareness was driven by poor visibility and the failure of the artificial horizon instrument. It is believed that a malfunction within the 36-volt electrical system may have triggered this instrument failure.