The investigating bodies of the East Siberian Transport Investigations Directorate of the Russian’s Investigative Committee have finished investigating a criminal case over crash of an Angara airlines Mi-8T helicopter in May 2013 in Katangsky District, Irkutsk Region as containing signs of a crime under part 3 of article 263 of the RF Penal Code (violation of safety rules of traffic and operation of air transport inflicting death of two or more people).
Investigators have established that on 6 May 2013, the Mi-8T with 9 people aboard, including 3 crew members, officials of the Irkutsk Region rescue service, Civil Defense and Emergency Situations Center, Baikal SAR team and the acting head of the Irkutsk Region Main Office of the Russian Emergencies Ministry was flying near the village of Preobrazhenka in Katangsky District. The aim of the flight was monitoring of flood situation and blasting operations to eliminate ice jams to avoid rise of water, death of people and collapse of buildings. About 3:25 PM, local time, near the flood plain of the Nizhnyaya Tunguska river 140 meters above the ground and with speed 210 km/h the helicopter exploded in air.
During the investigation, 17 forensic expert examinations have been run, including forensic medical, bomb technical, DNA tests, chemical and a comprehensive flying technical and forensic technical and technological expert examination to assess the correspondence of labor conditions and observance of technical standard documentation in the area of industrial security during blasting operations. Over 70 witnesses have been questioned, including eye-witnesses from local residents, officials of the regional office of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, rescue service, airlines, and other agencies and services. A considerable number of documents have been confiscated and studied.
The evidence gathered during the investigation, including conclusions of forensic expert examinations, have made it possible to conclude that the crewmembers and passengers of the helicopter died of the explosion. The cause of the explosion was detonation of explosives transported aboard the helicopter. The crew and officials of the airlines, the passengers and the organizers of the operations did not violate civil aviation standard requirements or blasting operations rules. They had been prepared for the operations, as well as for the flight and transportation of hazardous cargo. The Mi-8T RА-24410 was in good order and prepared for the flight. Considering these conclusions the criminal case was closed in the absence of crime in the act.
Regarding the violations revealed during the investigation, which contributed to the accident, but were not the immediate cause, the investigators have filed requests in competent bodies to eliminate the revealed violations.
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