What happened
During a night departure from Moscow-Sheremetyevo Airport bound for Conakry and Brazzaville, an aircraft encountered severe weather conditions including snow and fog. As the flight proceeded down the runway, the pilot initiated rotation at a speed of 260 km/h after traveling 1,400 meters. Shortly thereafter, while maintaining a speed of 275 km/h and having covered 1,850 meters, the left main landing gear made contact with a snow accumulation measuring 60 cm in height.
Instead of aborting the takeoff sequence, the pilot continued the acceleration, leading to a loss of directional control. The aircraft drifted toward the right side of the runway and crashed, resulting in a post-impact fire. The accident resulted in 21 fatalities (comprising thirteen crew members and eight passengers) and left 45 injuries. The aircraft was completely destroyed during the event.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the flight crew attempted to depart despite visibility being restricted to 1,000 meters due to fog and snow, which fell below the required minimums for operation. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft was not correctly positioned on the runway centerline, leading to the impact with the snow wall.
Contributing factors included inadequate runway maintenance by airport officials, as the runway had not been sufficiently cleared of snow. Furthermore, the lighting systems intended to assist pilots were largely obscured by snow accumulation, reducing their effectiveness during the low-visibility approach and takeoff.