What happened
During a flight operating from Baku to Leningrad at a cruising altitude of 9,600 meters, the aircraft suffered a simultaneous failure of all three engines. This loss of propulsion was followed by a total failure of the onboard generators, which rendered the electrical systems non-functional. As the aircraft lost its ability to maintain necessary airspeed and altitude, the speed decreased to 370 km/h.
In an attempt to reach the ground safely, the crew executed an emergency landing in an open field. Upon making contact with the terrain, the aircraft slid for a distance of 1,518 meters, colliding with several obstacles before catching fire. The accident resulted in four fatalities among the passengers, while the remaining 130 occupants were rescued, though some sustained injuries. The aircraft was completely destroyed during the event.
Findings
Investigations into the incident identified that the engine failures occurred because the fuel transfer system failed while it was being operated in manual mode. While a definitive reason for the failure of this specific system could not be established through technical analysis, investigators noted that the malfunction may have been triggered by a failure in an electrical component or a switch.