Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan near Kirensk

Date & Time: Oct 2, 2010 at 1024 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-67701
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lensk – Bratsk
MSN:
208B-0932
YOM:
2002
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
13358
Captain / Total hours on type:
4083.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4824
Copilot / Total hours on type:
757
Aircraft flight hours:
3203
Aircraft flight cycles:
1423
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Lensk at 0813LT on a flight to Bratsk. While cruising at 4,200 metres over the cloud layer, the engine failed. The crew elected to divert to Kirensk Airport but was unable to maintain a safe altitude. Eventually, the captain attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located 37 km west of Kirensk. All nine occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure due to the damage of the bearings of the planetary gear from the first stage of the compressor, leading to vibration and destruction of the turbine. It is possible the damage to the bearings was caused by the presence of aluminium or silicon oxide. However, it was not possible to determinate the source of this contamination.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2T in Pokrovsk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 2009 at 2325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RF-00842
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Krasnoyarsk - Lensk - Yakutsk
MSN:
1G195-55
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a positioning flight from Krasnoyarsk to Yakutsk with an intermediate stop in Lensk. The intended destination was in fact Prokovsk located about 70 km southwest of Yakutsk but the airfield was not suitable for night movements. On approach to Yakutsk-Magan Airport, the crew continued to Prokovsk where several cars were parked along the runway with their lights ON. Due to low visibility caused by night and snow falls, the crew was unable to establish a visual contact with the ground and two approaches were missed. During a third attempt to land, the aircraft collided with pine trees and power cables and crashed in an open field, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The decision of the crew to land on an airfield that was not equipped for night movements.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 near Zyrianka

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1994 at 1257 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-88286
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Voronezh – Kurgan – Krasnoyarsk – Lensk – Susuman
MSN:
08 02
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
KP9390
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
12364
Aircraft flight cycles:
8210
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a cargo flight from Voronezh to Susuman with intermediate stops in Kurgan, Krasnoyarsk and Lensk, carrying four passengers, five crew members and a load of 3 tons of sausages and cheese. After departure from Kurgan Airport, a fuel pump failed and the crew decided to divert to Novosibirsk-Tolmachevo Airport where repairs were successfully conducted. En route to Susuman, while cruising at an altitude of 5,700 metres, the crew got disoriented and the radio contact were difficult. As the fuel reserves were low, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing 75 km southeast of Zyrianka Airport. With flaps down at 38° and at a speed of 177 km/h, the aircraft crash landed and slid for 488 metres before coming to rest. All nine occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of an emergency landing made necessary after the crew lost his orientation following successive errors during pre-flight and en route. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Poor flight planning and organization,
- The captain took the unjustified decision to change heading,
- ATC in charge of the Okhotsk region authorized the crew to change heading without knowing the exact position of the aircraft,
- Upon departure, the total weight of the aircraft 5,230 kilos above MTOW,
- Radio communication issues.

Crash of an Antonov AN-74 in Lensk: 13 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1991 at 0121 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-74002
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – Lensk – Omsk – Kiev
MSN:
470 70 682
YOM:
1989
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
923
Aircraft flight cycles:
552
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Kiev with intermediate stops in Lensk and Omsk, carrying seven passengers (among them technicians), six crew members and a load of fish. Rotation was completed at night at a speed of 225 km/h and the crew immediately raised the landing gear. The aircraft climbed with a rate of 6 metres per second and after passing the runway end at a height of 70 metres, the crew selected flaps up. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent, struck trees (22 metres high) at a speed of 380 km/h and crashed in a huge explosion 3,903 metres past the runway end and 400 metres to the left of its extended centerline. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong takeoff configuration on part of the crew who neglected several published procedures. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The total weight of the aircraft at the time of the accident was 7,5 tons above MTOW,
- Lack of crew training,
- Premature retraction of flaps during initial climb,
- Insufficient rate of climb/climbing speed.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Olyokminsk

Date & Time: May 21, 1981 at 1019 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-35198
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vitim – Lensk – Olyokminsk
MSN:
1G144-22
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
11350
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Lensk Airport at 0909LT on the second leg of a flight from Vitim to Olyokminsk. About an hour later, while cruising at an altitude of 1,500 meters, the engine started to vibrate and the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane descended into trees and crashed in a wooded area located 122 northwest of Olyokminsk, bursting into flames. All nine occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The engine failure was the consequence of the disintegration of the 4th cylinder intake valve.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP in Lensk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1979 at 1313 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-32322
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G97-34
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
SU185Y
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
During initial climb, at a height of about 15-20 meters, the rear cabin door opened accidentally. Two passengers unfastened their seatbelt to close the door. This movement in the cabin caused the center of gravity to move past the rear limit by 37%. The aircraft reached a super critical angle of attack and at a speed of 60-65 km/h, it stalled and crashed in a near flat attitude near the runway (rate of descent estimated between six and eight meters per second). Two passengers were killed while 10 other occupants were injured. The copilot died from his injuries two days later.
Probable cause:
The wrong reaction of two passengers who decided to unfasten their seatbelt to close the cabin door, causing the CofG to be out of aft limit.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP near Lensk

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-91726
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G37-03
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Lensk. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Lensk: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1968 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-11349
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ust-Kut - Mirny
MSN:
4 018 05
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Ust-Kut Airport on a cargo flight to Mirny, carrying a load of 18 tons of cement. Few minutes after takeoff, the crew was informed that a landing at Mirny Airport was impossible due to technical problems and the captain decided, without referring to his operations, to divert to Lensk Airport where the weather conditions were considered as poor. At that time, the sky was overcast with clouds down to 600 meters, an horizontal visibility of 2,500 meters with rain and snow. The flight was continued at an altitude of 8,000 meters then the crew was cleared to descent to 3,000 meters and to start the approach to Lensk. On final, the pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck tall trees (20 meters high) in a flat attitude, continued the descent and crashed 420 meters further in a wooded area. The wreckage was found 15,6 km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a premature descent and a controlled flight into terrain for undetermined reason. Nevertheless, the assumption that an engine may have failed on approach was not ruled out. At the time of the accident, Lensk Airport was not equipped with an ILS system or any kind of ground guidance assistance system.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B near Olyokminsk: 45 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1968 at 1828 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-47733
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Yakutsk – Olyokminsk – Lensk – Ust-Kut – Krasnoyarsk – Novosibirsk
MSN:
69901001
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
SU1668
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
45
Aircraft flight hours:
1543
Aircraft flight cycles:
1543
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Olyokminsk Airport at 1810LT bound for Lensk. Eighteen minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 4,500 meters, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in a near vertical attitude (80°) in a dense wooded area located 92 km west of Olyokminsk. The aircraft partially disintegrated in the air and debris scattered on a large area. There was no fire on board prior to final impact. None of the 45 occupants survived the accident.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. There were no technical failure on engine or equipment prior to the accident nor fire on board nor any in-flight collision with any object.