What happened
During a flight from Tyumen to Ufa, the flight crew received a fire warning light indicating the presence of smoke within the rear cargo area. While cruising at an altitude of 10,600 meters, the crew confirmed smoke was present inside the cabin, though they could not pinpoint the exact origin of the fire. In response to the emergency, the aircraft was authorized to perform an emergency descent and divert to Pervouralsk Airport.
As the aircraft approached the airport, the onboard situation worsened. Realizing that the destination was no longer reachable, the pilot attempted to perform an emergency landing in a field covered by snow. During the landing sequence, the aircraft bounced twice before striking irrigation equipment. This impact caused the aircraft to go out of control, resulting in a crash approximately 3 km from Pervouralsk Airport. The accident resulted in 27 fatalities, including four crew members and 23 passengers, though all other individuals on board were successfully rescued.
Findings
- Smoke was detected in the rear cargo compartment during the cruise phase.
- The crew was unable to determine the specific source of the smoke or fire.
- The aircraft struck irrigation equipment during an uncontrolled descent following a bounced landing attempt.