Russian investigators have taken fuel samples, and retrieved the flight recorders, as part of the inquiry into the Antonov An-12 crash in Irkutsk on 26 December.

None of the nine occupants – including three crew members – survived after the four-engined transport (12162), operated by Irkut aviation plant, came down in a suburb of the city.

Technical and maintenance documentation about the aircraft, held by the Irkut organisation, has been collected as part of the inquiry, says Russia’s federal Investigative Committee.

The probe has also gathered recordings of exchanges with air traffic control, crew medical data and information on radio-navigation services at the secondary Irkutsk-2 airport, which lies to the northwest of the city. The airport is the site of the Irkut plant.

Video images of the accident scene show that, while the aircraft appears largely intact aft of the wing, the An-12’s forward fuselage and engines were destroyed in the impact.

Investigators have yet to narrow the possible contributory elements to the accident. The Investigative Committee states that it is considering crew actions, technical problems and the possible influence of adverse weather conditions.

Source: Cirium Dashboard