Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The Ka-226 aircraft, carrying staff from a military-linked plant, was attempting to land when it struck a pier and lost its tail.
A newly emerged video shows the final, chaotic moments before a Russian helicopter slammed into a home in Dagestan.
Casualty reports vary from four to five senior defence industry workers killed.
The crash, which occurred on November 7, has shocked aviation experts and raised questions over the pilot’s decisions in the final seconds before impact.
Desperate final moments
The video shows the Ka-226 helicopter attempting a landing before striking an earthen pier and tearing off its tail.
Despite the damage, the pilot lifted the aircraft back into the air rather than shutting down the engines.
Witnesses reported seeing the damaged helicopter hovering unsteadily before heading out over the shallow waters, its tail section dangling. The aircraft then climbed briefly before spinning out of control.
It crashed moments later into a residential home on the Caspian coast, bursting into flames.
Four passengers were burned alive, while three others—including the pilot—survived but remain in intensive care, according to local media reports.
Questions over pilot’s decision
The pilot’s choice to lift off again instead of performing an emergency landing has drawn heavy criticism in Russia.
Other pilots and analysts have described the manoeuvre as “bizarre” and “reckless.”
Ruslan Leviev, founder of the Conflict Intelligence Team, said the pilot’s actions appeared erratic.
“It feels like a drunk helicopter pilot decided to show off,” he told local media according to Mirror. “At the very last moment, he realised he wasn’t going to make the landing spot and put the helicopter into a climb. Then, for some reason, he took off from the water again.”
Leviev added that the pilot appeared panicked in the final seconds, suggesting a loss of control rather than a deliberate flight plan.
Victims and investigation
The helicopter was carrying employees from the Kizlyar Electromechanical Plant, a defence contractor sanctioned over its role in Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
Those killed were identified as Chief Engineer Sergey Suslov, Chief Helicopter Design Engineer Sirajutdin Saaduev, Deputy General Director for Transport Support Achalo Magomedov, and driver Islam Dzhabrailov.
According to Russian authorities, the Ka-226 had been flying from the town of Kizlyar to a recreation base when the disaster struck.
The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency has called the incident a “catastrophe” and launched a full investigation into the cause.
Sanctioned defence plant
The Kizlyar Electromechanical Plant manufactures diagnostic systems and ground control equipment for Russia’s Sukhoi and MiG military aircraft.
The company has been under Western sanctions since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The loss of several of its senior staff is expected to disrupt production and could further strain Russia’s already embattled defence supply chain.
You can watch the bizarre video on X here (opens new tab).
Sources: Local Russian media, Reuters, BBC, Conflict Intelligence Team
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation
