Croatia | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Following an uneventful flight from Tirana, the crew started the approach to Brač Airport in good weather conditions. After landing on runway 04, the crew started the braking procedure but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went through a fence, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a rocky area, bursting into flames. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was partially destroyed by a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed too far down the runway, reducing the landing distance available. The following contributing factors were identified:
- Excessive speed on approach (the IAS was 143 knots upon touchdown),
- The crew completed the approach in a too steep descent,
- Incorrect flare which caused the aircraft to land too dar down the runway,
- Insufficient landing distance available,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna T303 Crusader near Zadar: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 2009 at 1454 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 303 Crusader

Operator:

Registration:

9A-DLN

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Zagreb – Zadar

MSN:

303-00089

YOM:

1981

Location:

Zadar

Country:

Croatia

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

20000

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3000

Circumstances:

The crew departed Zagreb Airport on a training flight to Zadar. While descending to Zadar Airport, he encountered marginal weather with icing conditions. At an altitude of 6,500 feet in clouds, the aircraft lost height and crashed in the Velebit Mountain Range. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The most probable cause of the accident is the entry with an uncertified aircraft into icing conditions and in mountain waves. The plane most likely froze on its tail first. After the plane most likely froze completely, it became too heavy, entered mountain waves, became completely uncontrollable, after which it crashed at a sharp angle from a height of about 6,500 feet and hit a hill at the foot of Vaganski Vrh. Due to the force of the impact, the plane completely disintegrated.

Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Zagreb

Date & Time: Dec 6, 2001 at 1820 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

9A-BKA

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Slavonski Brod – Zagreb

MSN:

1G167-05

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a training flight from Zagreb to Slavonski Brod and back. After touchdown at Zagreb-Pleso Airport, the single engine airplane went out of control, nosed down and came to rest. All three occupants were rescued, among them one was slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was reported that the loss of control after landing was the consequence of the brakes lock.

Crash of a Boeing CT-34A in Dubrovnik: 35 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1996 at 1457 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-200

Operator:

Registration:

73-1149

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tuzla - Dubrovnik

MSN:

20696

YOM:

1973

Flight number:

IFO21

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

A United States Air Force Boeing T-43A (USAF designation for the Boeing 737-200) was destroyed after impacting a hillside during an NDB approach to Dubrovnik Airport, Croatia. All 35 on board were killed. The aircraft was engaged in a mission to fly United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and a delegation of industry executives around the region for visits. The party was to be flown from Zagreb to Tuzla and Dubrovnik before returning to Zagreb. Operating with a call sign of IFO21, the accident aircraft departed Zagreb at 06:24 hours. The crew landed at Tuzla at 07:15 after an uneventful flight. The passengers deplaned, and the aircraft was then repositioned to Split because of insufficient ramp space at Tuzla to park the aircraft for the duration of the visit. At 12:47, the aircraft landed at Tuzla, where the passengers reboarded. The accident flight departed Tuzla for Dubrovnik at 13:55. After crossing Split at 14:34 the flight was cleared to descend from FL210 to FL140. Further descent clearance was given to FL100. After the aircraft reached FL100 at 14:45, south of Split VOR, Zagreb Center transferred control to Dubrovnik Approach/Tower. The controller cleared IFO21 direct to the Kolocep (KLP) NDB. After opposite-direction traffic had been cleared, IFO21 was cleared to descend to 5000 feet. At 14:52, the crew told Dubrovnik Approach/Tower that they were 16 NM from the airport. They were cleared to descend to 4,000 feet and told to report crossing the KLP beacon. At 14:53, the aircraft crossed KLP, which was the Final Approach Fix (FAF), at 4100 feet and began the approach without approach clearance from Dubrovnik Tower. At that point the aircraft was slightly high and fast and not completely configured for the approach, as it should have been. At 14:54, the copilot of IFO21 called Dubrovnik Approach/Tower and said, "We’re inside the locator, inbound." IFO21 was then cleared for the NDB approach to runway 12. The aircraft tracked a course of 110 degrees after crossing KLP, instead of tracking the published course of 119 degrees. The aircraft maintained this track from KLP to the point of impact. The accident aircraft descended to 2200 feet which was consistent with the published minimum descent altitude of 2,150 feet. At 14:57, the aircraft impacted a rocky mountainside approximately 1.7 NM to the left (northeast) of the extended runway centerline and 1.8 NM north of the approach end of runway 12 at Dubrovnik Airport.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain. The following findings were reported:
- The command failure to comply with directives that required a review of all instrument approach procedures, not approved by the Defense Dept,
- Preflight planning errors, combined with errors made during the flight made by the aircrew,
- Improper design of the Dubrovnik NDB.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B in Saborsko: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1994 at 0033 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

Registration:

UR-26207

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Ćoralići – Pula

MSN:

14202

YOM:

1985

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a humanitarian flight from Ćoralići to Pula on behalf of the United Nations Organization. En route, while cruising by night, the aircraft was shot down by fire and crashed in a wooded area located near Saborsko, Croatia. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Sinj: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1992

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

9A-BFO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1G99-12

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at low height, the single engine aircraft struck power cables and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. A passenger survived while five other occupants were killed. Registration is not confirmed as the aircraft was maybe not coded.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Vukovar: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1991

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

9A-BOP

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1G222-37

YOM:

1987

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying at low height on a survey mission, the single engine aircraft was shot down by a SAM-6 missile and crashed. All four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a SAM-6 missile.