What happened
Shortly after departing from runway 24 at Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, the aircraft began its ascent. Approximately 26 seconds into the flight, while maintaining an altitude of 200 metres, the crew performed landing gear retraction and adjusted engine power to nominal levels. As the plane reached 250 metres at a speed of 340 km/h, it initiated a right-hand turn despite receiving clearance to climb to 1,500 metres.
The crew did not acknowledge the climb instructions. Seven seconds later, the aircraft transitioned into a left turn and experienced a sudden nose-down pitch. The plane descended at a speed of 550 km/h, striking a residential building located 5,400 metres from the runway threshold and 1,800 metres to the right of the extended centerline. The impact resulted in the total destruction of both the aircraft and the house. The accident caused 61 fatalities among the occupants of the plane, along with one death of a person inside the building. One individual on the ground sustained injuries.
Findings
Investigations revealed that both artificial horizons malfunctioned during the early stages of the climb for reasons that remain undetermined. This simultaneous failure of primary flight instruments, coupled with poor visibility conditions, led to the crew experiencing spatial disorientation, which ultimately caused the loss of control.