Newly emerged footage has revealed the chilling sequence of events leading to a fatal helicopter crash in southern Russia that claimed five lives and left three critically injured.
The Fateful Flight
A Russian Ka-226 helicopter carrying senior defence plant workers met with disaster on November 7th in the Republic of Dagestan. The aircraft was attempting to land when it struck an earthen pier, causing catastrophic damage to its tail section.
Shock video shows the damaged helicopter struggling to remain airborne with its tail broken and dangling precariously. Instead of attempting an immediate emergency landing, the pilot made a controversial decision to fly out toward the open waters of the Caspian Sea.
The Doomed Maneuver
After initially coming down in shallow waters, the pilot unexpectedly powered up the helicopter again, gaining altitude over deeper sea. Aviation experts have questioned this baffling choice, particularly given the aircraft's compromised condition.
The helicopter, now flying with a severely damaged tail, quickly lost stability as it attempted to climb over open water. Witness footage captures the moment the pilot turned back toward land in a desperate bid for an emergency landing, but the manoeuvre proved too late.
The aircraft spiralled out of control before crashing near the shoreline, bursting into flames upon impact with a residential building.
Aftermath and Investigation
Four senior staff members from the Kizlyar Electromechanical Plant were killed in the inferno, along with another victim. The plant, which faces international sanctions related to the war in Ukraine, manufactures ground control and diagnostic systems for Sukhoi and MiG military aircraft.
The victims have been identified as Chief Engineer Sergey Suslov, Chief Helicopter Design Engineer Sirajutdin Saaduev, Deputy General Director for Transport Support Achalo Magomedov, and driver Islam Dzhabrailov.
Remarkably, the pilot survived the crash and is currently in intensive care alongside two other survivors, all reported to be in serious condition.
The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency has described the incident as a 'catastrophe' and launched a full investigation. Meanwhile, fellow pilots and aviation experts have expressed bewilderment at the pilot's decisions during the emergency.
Ruslan Leviev, founder of the Conflict Intelligence Team, suggested the pilot may have been 'drunk' and panicked, stating: 'It feels like a drunk helicopter pilot decided to show off. A clearly visible panic of the pilot.'
The tragedy highlights ongoing concerns about aviation safety standards in Russia and raises serious questions about the split-second decisions that can mean the difference between life and death in emergency situations.
