What happened
During a scheduled flight from Tashkent-Yuzhny Airport to Shakhrisabz, a Yakovlev Yak-40 experienced a catastrophic loss of control immediately following departure. The aircraft was operating with a crew of four and five passengers, while also transporting 1,200 kilograms of mail and various cargo.
As the flight proceeded with its takeoff sequence, the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 15 to 20 meters while maintaining a speed of 230 km/h. At this stage of the climb, the plane entered a left bank, lost necessary altitude, and impacted the ground. The impact triggered a post-crash fire that consumed the airframe. There were nine fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the aircraft encountered severe wake turbulence generated by an Ilyushin II-76, registration CCCP-76482, which had departed from the same runway only 81 seconds prior.
Several contributing factors were noted regarding the departure sequence and operational procedures. Air traffic controllers issued takeoff clearance to the Yakovlev Yak-40 before sufficient separation had been established between the two aircraft. Additionally, delays during the cargo loading process led the flight crew to rush the departure, which resulted in the omission of several standard operating procedures.