What happened
A flight traveling from Moscow-Zhukovsky Airport toward Severomorsk-Safonovo NAS was carrying a total of 16 occupants at the time of the accident. During the final approach phase, the aircraft encountered adverse weather conditions characterized by low visibility. As the flight progressed, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) triggered an alert in the cockpit to notify the pilot of insufficient altitude. Simultaneously, the navigator reported that the aircraft had drifted one kilometer to the left of the intended approach path.
Despite these warnings and specific instructions from Air Traffic Control, the captain continued the descent. At an altitude of approximately 206 meters, the left wing of the aircraft made contact with an electrical pole. This impact caused a rapid loss of altitude, leading the aircraft to crash and subsequently ignite. The accident resulted in 15 fatalities, while the pilot sustained minor injuries.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor in the accident was the captain's failure to adhere to established approach procedures. The crew disregarded multiple critical indicators, including automated GPWS alerts, verbal warnings from the navigator regarding lateral deviation, and direct commands from ATC. This lack of compliance led to the aircraft descending below safe minimum altitudes while off-course.