Mi-24 crash at Pugachyov on 3 February 2009

The Mi-24 crash at Pugachyov was an aviation accident that occurred on 3 February 2009 at 11:45 MSK, 18 kilometres from Pugachyov airfield in Saratov Oblast.

During scheduled flights, a Mi-24 helicopter belonging to the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (626th Training Helicopter Regiment, military unit 93836) crashed. As reported by the aide to the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force, the helicopter burned out and the crew was killed.

At 12:15 MSK a search team found the destroyed and burnt-out helicopter. All those on board were killed — crew commander Ilya Kartashev, a 2008 graduate, instructor pilot Sergei Safonov, a 2002 graduate, and flight technician Renat Khubeyev. There was no damage on the ground. Mi-24 flights in Russia were suspended until further notice.

In connection with the crash of the Mi-24 helicopter in Saratov Oblast, a criminal case was opened under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation — violation of the rules of flights or of preparation for them. Among the causes of the crash being considered were equipment failure and piloting error.

In the course of the investigation it was established that the cause of the crash was fatigue failure of a rotor blade pitch lever, which was the result of a substandard repair carried out at the 12th Aircraft Repair Plant in Khabarovsk. A previously used part intended for the Mi-8 helicopter had been installed on the Mi-24.

In June 2013 a court found the former production foreman of the FSUE “12 Aircraft Repair Plant”, Mark Volchkov, guilty of violating Part 3 of Article 266 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (substandard repair of a vehicle and release into service of a technically defective vehicle by a person responsible for the technical condition of the vehicle, negligently causing the death of two or more persons) and sentenced him to two years' imprisonment to be served in a colony-settlement.

In January 2014 the court also found the plant's chief engineer Vladimir Kapiychuk and the head of the plant's reliability group Yuri Verotchenko guilty. By the court's verdict, Kapiychuk and Verotchenko were each sentenced to 4.5 years' imprisonment. On the basis of the resolution of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of 18.12.2013 “On declaring an amnesty in connection with the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation”, Verotchenko was released from the sentence imposed, and a colony-settlement was designated as the place for Kapiychuk to serve his sentence.