The crew consisted of the commander (PIC) Alexander Nikolaevich Lomov, co-pilot Mikhail Konstantinovich Kiselev, navigator-aerial photographer Mikhail Petrovich Shchur, flight radio operator Nikolai Pavlovich Lyallin, flight engineer Evgraf Yakovlevich Kuznetsov, camera operator Zoya Pavlovna Volkova, and aerial photographer Nikolai Alexandrovich Pavlov.
Meanwhile, at 03:36, the crew of aircraft A4031 reported their arrival in the aerial photography area at the assigned altitude of 1,800 meters and began their work.
Less than a minute later, in clear skies at 03:50 MSK, the two aircraft, flying directly toward each other (L4534 on a 270° course, A4031 on a 90° course), collided head-on in front of numerous witnesses 16.5 kilometers west of the village of Barzas (Kemerovsky District, Kemerovo Oblast).
The impact also tore through the upper part of A4031's fuselage, destroying the center wing section of the second aircraft.
As a result, passengers began falling out of the L4534's cabin, and its left wing, tail unit, and parts of the fuselage were scattered over a 150 by 900-meter area of forest and clearing.
Numerous eyewitnesses on the ground saw the two aircraft heading toward each other at the same altitude, with neither crew taking any evasive action to avoid the collision.
When the unit was integrated, the command of the West Siberian TU GWF failed to adequately address the organization and safety of flights.
It is noteworthy that neither the command of the West Siberian TU GWF, nor the Novosibirsk RDS and ADS, were aware of the correct method for determining survey altitude.
He was reinstated in February 1953, despite retaining significant deficiencies in piloting, as well as displaying arrogance, stubbornness, and a lack of understanding.
Finally, the crews of both aircraft, despite the clear weather, did not monitor the air traffic situation and took no action to prevent the collision.
The causes of the aircraft collision were: Those responsible: both PICs and Klykov, who took a formal approach to ensuring flight safety.