What happened
During a nighttime departure from Sverdelyovsk-Koltsovo Airport, the flight crew received instructions from Air Traffic Control to begin a left turn while climbing to an assigned altitude of 1,500 meters. As the aircraft executed the maneuver, the bank angle initially reached approximately 35-40 degrees. However, upon reaching an altitude of 1,200 meters, the left bank steepened significantly to between 75 and 80 degrees, at which point the crew lost control of the aircraft.
The plane subsequently entered a dive and struck a forested area roughly 10 km from the airport. The impact triggered a massive explosion, causing the aircraft to disintegrate. There were 108 fatalities and no survivors among the occupants. At the time of the accident, meteorological conditions were marginal, characterized by light rain, visibility restricted to 6 km, an overcast ceiling at 800 feet, and northwest winds at 15 knots.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the primary reason for the loss of control during the climb was a malfunction of the onboard electrical system, which led to the failure of the artificial horizons. The combination of flying at night, poor visibility, and the loss of critical flight instruments caused the pilot to experience spatial disorientation, ultimately leading to the fatal descent.