A Sukhoi superjet 100 is missing

[RetiredF4]

@ ATC Watcher

You miss the point i tried to make.

The weather will be like it is, and wether the flight operated under IFR (that´s the most obvious choice until now) or cancelled IFR and proceeded VFR (which the morning flight with the same crew and the same task didn´t do).

There is no obvious sound reason to descend IFR in good or bad weather below MSA / MORA (except for landing obviously) and there is no sound reason to cancel IFR and proceed VFR when weather is unsuitable to do so. Those altitudes MSA / MORA are published for reason, and it´s advisable to know those especially when not familiar with local terrain.

Under IFR it´s a non event to enter IMC and under VFR maintaining clear of clouds is paramount. And that is most true when flying VFR in mountain terrain below the peaks of known mountains.

I know what it´s like running into unexpected bad weather when flying low level 100 feet above ground with 480 KIAS, there is only one safe way, gain altitude as fast as possible and worry about an IFR clearance later.

Here we have an airtransport aircraft on a short demonstration flight taking off under IFR and hitting a scenic mountain in the middle of the flight after they requested an descent below MSA.

Therefore weather did not contribute to that accident in any until now known way i can think of.

Annex14
anticipating that ATC would not clear them below MSA or into a mountain

Saw your post after i did mine, quick comment on it:

Never assume anything, either to know it or to recheck it is paramount. That´s especially true when opperating outside the known box in another country with other rules and in unknown terrain.