Narrative:The Li-2 passenger plane operated on a flight from Irkutsk to Chita and Yakutsk. Shortly after the night-time takeoff from Irkutsk the flight encountered low clouds, heavy turbulence, heavy snowfall and icing conditions. The airplane was flying at low altitude and drifted off course. The flight crew then inadvertently feathered the right propeller, which caused the aircraft to lose height. Height was lost until the aircraft contacted trees. Control was lost and the airplane stalled and crashed upside down on the wooded slope of a hill. The sole survivor was seriously injured and was found by a rescue party on April 4.
It appeared that the captain was intoxicated and the first officer had a license for the Polikarpov Po-2 only.
Classification:
Flightcrew member's alcohol, drug usage
Icing
Loss of control
Sources:
» airdisaster.ru
»
Soviet Transports
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Irkutsk Airport to Chita Airport as the crow flies is 604 km (378 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.