Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M in Chernovo: 14 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1960 at 2253 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-52091
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Syktyvkar – Gorki – Moscow
MSN:
7 34 29 05
YOM:
12
Flight number:
SU081
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Aircraft flight hours:
6163
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Syktyvkar Airport at 2228LT on a flight to Moscow via Gorki and the crew received the permission to climb to 3,000 meters. 18 minutes later, the crew reported icing conditions and received the permission to climb to 3,600 meters. Three minutes later, at 2249LT, the crew reported that the right engine caught fire and requested the permission to divert to the nearest airport. Apparently, the crew was unable to extinguish the fire and the captain completed a rapid descent. After passing the last cloud layer, at an altitude of 100-150 meters, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in a field located 500 meters from the village of Chernovo, some 134 km northeast of Gorki Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 14 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the cylinders and pistons on the right engine in flight which caused a fuel and hydraulic leak. Both fluids caught fire when contacted high temperature equipment of the engine. The right engine totalized 1,164 hours and 390 hours since last overhaul.