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Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Zyrianka

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1953 at 1410 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-H1014
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Magadan – Seymchan – Zyrianka – Ozhogino – Batagay
MSN:
184 303 08
YOM:
30
Location:
Zyrianka
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1659
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Zyrianka Airport, while climbing to a height of about 20 meters, the left engine encountered problems and the crew tried to feather the propeller, without success. In such conditions, the pilot-in-command decided to attempt an emergency landing. At a speed of 140 km/h, the airplane hit trees and crashed in a wooded area located 600 meters past the runway end. The airplane was damaged beyond repair while all 16 occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
When the undercarriage were raised after liftoff, the left engine suffered technical issues and the crew was forced to feather the propeller, without success. The propeller was then windmilling, causing drag. In such conditions, the aircraft lost height and the pilot elected to make an emergency landing. It was reported that the board mechanic was unable to response immediately to the engine issue because he was focused on instruments check and especially the speed indicator, which was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Batagay

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1953 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-ZH125
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Batagay – Ozhogino – Zyrianka
MSN:
184 321 10
YOM:
31
Location:
Batagay
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1664
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Batagay Airport, while in initial climb, the crew encountered technical problems with both engines. Unable to gain sufficient height, the pilot-in-command attempted an emergency landing near a river located one km from the airfield. The airplane hit trees, crash landed, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a wooded area. While all five crew members were uninjured, the airplane was written off.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to prepare the flight properly and hurried the departure. With an OAT of -48° C., the oil was not sufficiently warm and this caused the engine to run improperly after rotation, with propellers blocked in an angle between 20° and 30°, causing drag and impeding the plane to gain sufficient altitude. In such conditions, an emergency landing was unavoidable.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Nizhniye Kresty

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1952 at 0153 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-H1011
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pevek – Nizhniye Kresty – Magadan
MSN:
234 413 07
YOM:
1952
Location:
Chersky
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Pevek to Magadan with an intermediate stop in Nizhniye Kresty on behalf of the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD – Ministerstvo Vnutrennick Del). The takeoff from Nizhniye Kresty Airport was attempted by night and on a runway covered with light snow. After rotation, while in initial climb, the airplane banked left and the left wing just passed over a parked AN-2. The aircraft then turn to the right and crashed on a mound. All four crew members were evacuated safely and the aircraft was later considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The aircraft stalled during initial climb due to an insufficient takeoff speed that was the result of a wrong departure configuration on part of the flying crew. The reaction of the pilot-in-command at stall was incorrect, which was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 on Mt Nevskaya

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1951 at 1225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-H986
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Magadan - Seymchan - Omsukchan
MSN:
1 02 473 10
YOM:
28
Location:
Mt Nevskaya
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
332
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft left Magadan Airport at 0925LT under Visual Flight Rules with good weather conditions. En route, these conditions worsened and it was not possible to reach the crew due to communication issues. The pilot took the decision to cancel the intermediate stop in Seymchan and continued directly to Omsukchan. While the weather conditions became marginal and the visibility dropped, the crew went into a steep valley and dead end. In such conditions, the pilot in command increased power but the aircraft hit trees and crashed on the slope of Mt Nevskaya at an altitude of 1,380 meters. The wreckage was spotted a day later about 40 km southwest of Omsukchan. All eight occupants, among them two children, were evacuated. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The crew took the wrong decision to continue the flight when the weather conditions worsened. The pilot in command decided to cancel the intermediate stop and followed another route without prior permission, flew over a mountainous area without sufficient visual references with the ground, violating so the published procedures.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Seymchan: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1950 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-H955
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pevek – Zyrianka
MSN:
5908
YOM:
30
Location:
Seymchan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
706
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Pevek to Zyrianka, carrying a crankshaft and others spare parts for an LM-3 locomotive for a total weight of 1,000 kilos. The airplane left Pevek at 0410LT bound for Zyrianka but upon arrival, the crew was informed by ground that the airport was closed to traffic and has to divert to Seymchan Airport. The pilot modified his route to Seymchan but did not receive any information about weather conditions at destination. After continuing at an altitude of 3,300 meters, the crew encountered poor weather upon arrival in Seymchan and was unable to locate the airport. After an unsuccessful attempt to land, the crew continued to the north and was eventually forced to make an emergency landing as the aircraft was short of fuel. The airplane crashed in a rocky canyon located 72 km northwest of Seymchan and was destroyed upon impact. All five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The visibility was less than 100 meters at the time of the accident due to snow falls,
- The copilot was inexperienced,
- Wrong decision in diverting the aircraft to Seymchan without knowing the weather conditions at destination (uncertain situation),
- The total rest time of the crew was insufficient,
- Lack of assistance by ground services upon arrival in Seymchan,
- Wrong decision on part of the Zyrianka Airport Authorities which decided to close the airfield to all trafic because the runway was flooded. Investigations revealed that this was not the case and this decision was taken in rush. When the aircraft approached Zyrianka, the airfield was practicable with a 1,000 meters long runway.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Mt Raiiz: 19 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-Zh115
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mys Kamennyy – Salekhard – Abez
Location:
Mt Raiiz
Republic of Komi
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a supply mission for the Ural expedition christened 'Zheldorproyekt'. On the leg from Salekhard to Abez, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Raiiz, in the Polyarnyy Ural Mountain Range. The wreckage was found few weeks later, in January 1949, and all 19 occupants were killed. The aircraft was owned by the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD – Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del).

Crash of a Kawasaki Ki-56 near Susuman: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1946 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kawasaki Ki-56
Operator:
Registration:
6
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Susuman – Zyrianka
Location:
Susuman
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a rescue mission from Susuman to Zyrianka on behalf of the Ministry of Interior (MVD – Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del). Shortly after takeoff, the left engine failed and the pilot increased power on the right engine that failed as well. The crew elected to return to Susuman when the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a snowy field located in Berelyokh, about 10 km from Susuman. The aircraft was destroyed and all 7 occupants were killed. Some repairs were recently performed on the right engine and it appears the aircraft was not tested before the flight.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure.

Crash of a Kawasaki Ki-56 in Zyrianka: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Kawasaki Ki-56
Operator:
Registration:
514
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Zyrianka – Seymchan
Location:
Zyrianka
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft banked left and then rolled to the right, causing the right wing to hit the ground. Out of control, the aircraft veered to the right and eventually crashed in a snow covered field. Six occupants were slightly injured while a pilot was killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was carrying a load of 1,125 kg of various goods plus 1,400 liters of fuel. It was determined that the total weight of the aircraft was well above the MTOW. Also, the crew did not deice the airplane prior to departure and failed to clear the wings from snow, which was considered as a contributory factor.
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