Investigation Summary
The flight was a domestic scheduled service from Krasnoyarsk to Igarka. As the aircraft approached Igarka in the early hours of August 3, 2010, the region was experiencing adverse weather including fog, light rain, and thunderstorms. Despite visibility being below the legal meteorological minima for the airport, the crew continued the approach. The aircraft veered to the right of the landing course during its final descent. Without reliable visual contact with the approach lights or the runway, the pilots allowed the aircraft to descend below the decision height. The An-24 struck trees and impacted the ground roughly 477 metres short of the runway threshold and 234 metres to the right of the centerline. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and a subsequent fire. Three crew members (the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer) survived the initial impact, while the flight attendant and one passenger initially survived but later died from their injuries.
Final Conclusions
The Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) released its final report in October 2010. The primary cause was the crew's decision to attempt a landing in weather conditions worse than the established meteorological minima for the airfield, the aircraft type, and the captain's certification. Contributing factors included the crew's failure to make a timely decision to go-around and their descent below the minimum safe altitude without visual reference to the runway. The MAK noted that similar safety recommendations from the 2007 UTair Flight 471 crash had not been fully implemented, which might have prevented this accident.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Pilot
Survived
Co-Pilot
Survived
Systems & Failure Modes
Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
The device failed to record the final 10 minutes of the flight, depriving investigators of audio from the critical approach phase.
Flight Data Recorder (FDR)
The FDR remained functional throughout the flight, allowing investigators to reconstruct the aircraft's flight path and descent profile.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was an Antonov An-24RV built in 1974.
- 02The CVR stopped recording approximately 7 to 10 minutes prior to the accident, missing the critical final approach phase.
- 03The FDR provided a complete record of the entire flight.
- 04Visibility at the time of the crash was below the minimum requirements for both the airport and the flight crew.
- 05The aircraft struck trees before impacting the ground short of the runway.
Safety Actions & Advisories
MAK Safety Recommendations
The MAK issued 19 safety recommendations following the investigation, emphasizing the need for stricter adherence to meteorological minima and timely go-around decisions.