Icing May Have Caused Diamond Crash in Orsk
Experts from the popular Telegram channel «Aviatorshchina» shared possible preliminary causes of the plane crash in Orsk.
As reported by 56.RU, a Diamond DA-40 training aircraft crashed on 2 February. The victims were flight instructor Vasily Nivaev (survived by his wife and young daughter) and two students from St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation (SPbGU GA) — Timofey Kurdupov from Sverdlovsk Oblast (flying the second stage, seated in front) and Dmitry Sedov from Moscow Oblast (on his first flight as a passenger).
According to available data, one of the causes being considered is the aircraft entering severe icing conditions, leading to exceeding critical angles of attack and entering a stall.
Actual weather at Orsk airfield indicates significant overcast with a cloud base at 427 meters (approx. 1,400 ft), worsening to 400 meters (approx. 1,300 ft) by the time of the crash. Wind — 30 degrees, 4 m/s, visibility — more than 10 km, temperature -9°C (16°F), dew point -9°C (16°F).
«From surface analysis charts, one can see the advancing eastern periphery of an anticyclone with a significant icing zone, which near the time of the crash affects the flight area. Furthermore, the temperature and dew point indicate humidity close to 100% — all this creates favorable conditions for severe icing. And the deficit of 0°C with negative temperatures near the ground created a high probability of encountering supercooled droplets in the edge sags and catching ice,» experts said.
It is noted that the flight manual for the DA-40NG strictly prohibits flights in icing conditions, as it is not equipped with an anti-icing system. A decision to take off may be made in the absence of visible icing. However, if icing is encountered, the flight manual requires immediately leaving the area, and if that is not possible, performing an immediate emergency landing.
Recall that on 2 February 2026 at 12:51, the 112 emergency dispatcher received a report of the crash of Diamond DA-40 with registration number RA-02673. It crashed near the village of Dzhanatalap.
Orsk Mayor Artem Vorobyov and Governor Yevgeny Solntsev promised to provide any assistance to the families of the victims. Condolences were also expressed by Buguruslan Mayor Dmitry Dyachenko (it is in this city that there is a flight school (letka), whose aircraft incidents we have covered), St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, and Speaker Alexander Belsky, while former Orenburg Oblast Governor Denis Pasler ordered contacting the relatives of Timofey Kurdupov.
The IAC commission, which is conducting an investigation (and there is also a criminal case), has already received the flight data recorders from the crashed aircraft, and the relatives of each of the three victims will receive 1 million rubles (approximately $10,000 at current exchange rates) through the insurance company.
Operations of Diamond DA-40 aircraft have been temporarily suspended at Rosaviatsiya educational institutions to conduct an unscheduled technical audit of the fleet. 56.RU reported that over the past five years, at least five incidents involving such aircraft have been recorded in Orenburg Oblast.
All news on the Orsk crash is collected in a separate section.
