What happened
On the morning of the accident, an aircraft departed from Syktylar Airport at 09:55 local time, en route to Moscow. The flight was initially proceeding through standard climbing procedures under favorable weather conditions. Approximately twelve minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 5,600 meters, a fire alarm indicated that a fire had ignited within the rear cargo hold.
Following the alarm, the flight engineer inspected the aft section of the cabin and reported back to the cockpit that smoke was actively spreading through the vessel. Rather than immediately notifying Air Traffic Control (ATC) or declaring an emergency, the crew attempted to personally inspect the area and suppress the flames. These efforts were unsuccessful. During this period of delayed communication, the aircraft continued its ascent to 6,700 meters.
More than four minutes after the initial alarm, the captain officially declared an emergency with ATC. At that time, the aircraft was roughly 140 km from Syktyvkar Airport and was cleared for a return to the departure airfield. The pilot initiated an emergency descent, lowering the landing gear and flaps once the altitude reached 1,200 meters. Realizing the destination was no longer reachable, the crew attempted an emergency landing on terrain. Due to heavy rain and reduced visibility, the aircraft struck trees, resulting in the separation of both wings. The plane subsequently crashed into a dense forest and was consumed by flames.
The accident resulted in 54 fatalities, while 38 individuals—consisting of four crew members and 34 passengers—were successfully rescued from the wreckage. The aircraft was completely destroyed.
Findings
Investigators were unable to pinpoint the specific origin of the fire within the rear cargo compartment because the intensity of the post-crash fire destroyed the evidence. It was noted that smoke infiltration into the cabin caused asphyxiation, leading several occupants to lose consciousness or perish prior to the impact. The crew's attempt to manage the fire manually proved ineffective.