What happened
During a scheduled flight operating between Bishkek and Osh, an aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 7,200 meters when it encountered extreme atmospheric instability over Kazarman. The flight experienced sudden, powerful downdrafts that triggered an uncontrolled descent. During this period of turbulence, the plane dropped approximately 2,200 meters in altitude.
During the descent, the airframe was subjected to intense physical stress, with recorded loads reaching +5.5 g. Although the crew managed to regain control of the aircraft and successfully completed the flight by landing at Osh Airport, the intensity of the event caused significant damage. The incident resulted in nine injuries among the occupants. Due to the extent of the in-flight structural damages, the aircraft was declared unserviceable and could not be repaired for further flight.
Findings
Investigations into the event concluded that the primary driver of the accident was the encounter with severe downdrafts at high altitude, which directly led to the structural compromise of the airframe.