[1] The flight was routine,[8] and no unusual issues were reported until radio contact was lost after leaving Vilna, Lithuania at 6 p.m.[6] A visibility of 4 km (2.5 mi; 2.2 nmi), wind speed 18 km/h (11 mph; 9.7 kn), heading 300°, cloudy weather, about six to eight cloud covers, and a cloud cover altitude of 600 m (2,000 ft) was forecast.

[10] Among the deaths were multiple American passengers who were travelling throughout Europe[11][12] and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.

[3][7] Three American journalists who saw the crashed aeroplane did rescue work, including getting people out of the wrecked Il-14 and carrying them to an ambulance.

[9] The weather in the area at the time was described as "very low ceiling, heavy turbulence, distant lightning, and driving rain".

[5] Investigation showed that the aircraft was in an appropriate technical condition to fly, and the plane and engines were functioning adequately when the accident happened.

[7] The probable cause listed in the general description of the accident reads as follows: The aircraft hit the ground while flying at an excessively low altitude following the crew's application of an approach procedure other than that prescribed by Wnukowo Aerodrome.

The bad weather conditions which set in during the night and were not forecast in the messages had their influence on the disastrous end of the flight.