Incident Details
A crew was completing a ferry flight from Veliky Ustyug to Vologda. During the descent, night conditions prevailed with poor weather, including fog and reduced visibility. On short final, the aircraft descended below the glide path. At a height of 20 meters, it struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area short of the runway threshold. The impact forces and a post-crash fire totally destroyed the aircraft.
Casualties
Three crew members were killed, and two others were seriously injured.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, visibility was 700 meters, well below minimum landing requirements. However, the crew had been informed that visibility was 1,500 meters.
Probable Cause
Investigators determined that personnel at Vologda Airport (including air traffic control and meteorological staff) falsified weather bulletins to allow certain aircraft to land. The crew was also blamed for allowing the aircraft to descend below the glide path without any visual contact with the runway lights.