What happened
During the initial climb phase following departure from Neryngri Airport, the flight crew identified a critical malfunction involving the third engine. The captain notified Air Traffic Control that engine n°3 had experienced a failure and subsequently ignited.
In response to the emergency, controllers provided clearance for the aircraft to perform an immediate return to the airfield. The pilot executed a turn to reposition the plane and proceeded with a standard landing procedure. Although the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss, all 28 occupants were able to evacuate the vessel without injury.
Findings
Investigations into the incident focused on the mechanical failure of the propulsion system. The primary factor identified was a fire and subsequent failure within engine n°3, though the specific underlying reason for this malfunction remains undetermined.