Katanga | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On final approach to Katanga Airport following an uneventful cargo flight, all four engines stopped simultaneously. The aircraft lost height and struck the ground 1,450 metres short of runway. Upon touchdown, it lost its undercarriage, slid for about 640 metres, struck successively the inner marker and a brick house before coming to rest, broken in two. A passenger was killed while 15 other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Failure of all four engines on final approach due to fuel exhaustion. Poor flight planning on part of the crew. At takeoff, the aircraft weight was 7 tons above the MTOW. The crew deliberately decided to load more cargo and less fuel. Investigations determined that the fuel quantity was insufficient for the planned flight.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12PL in Katanga: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1969 at 0707 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-11381

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Moscow - Syktyvkar - Katanga - Anadyr

MSN:

4 028 07

YOM:

1964

Flight number:

SU5135

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

4787

Aircraft flight cycles:

1649

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Moscow to Anadyr with intermediate stops in Syktyvkar and Katanga, carrying a load ot 9,905 kilos of oranges and 384 kilos of mail. Both legs between Moscow-Sheremetyevo, Syktyvkar and Katanga were uneventful. The crew started the approach to Katanga by night and marginal weather conditions (low clouds, snow falls and a visibility of 5 km) when he was cleared to descent to 400 meters. At high speed, flaps and undercarriage raised, the airplane banked left to 20-25° when it struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 13 km short of runway threshold. No distress call was sent from the crew prior to the accident. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all eight occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of an excessive accumulation of ice on wings and stabs during an approach by night in severe icing conditions.