What happened
During the final approach phase into Orenburg, the three-engine aircraft descended below the established glide path. The flight crew did not initiate a go-around maneuver despite the deviation from the correct descent profile. The aircraft impacted the ground 68 meters before reaching the runway threshold, experiencing a vertical load of 3 g.
Following this initial impact, the plane bounced and made a second touchdown 635 meters further down the runway. During this second contact, the aerodynamic force increased to 3.9 g, which caused the aircraft's structure to break in two. The wreckage eventually came to a stop after the aircraft lost control. The accident resulted in three injuries, involving two crew members and one passenger.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the crew failed to adhere to standard approach checklists and established operational procedures, leading to an incorrect aircraft configuration. Specifically, the use of approach charts was inappropriate, and the aircraft was operated with stabilizers set at -5.5° and flaps at 45°. A series of errors by the flying crew caused the descent below the glideslope, and the captain did not attempt a go-around despite multiple warning alarms. Additionally, the air traffic controller cleared the flight for landing instead of instructing them to perform a go-around.