Country
code

Murmansk oblast

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2P in Lovozero

Date & Time: Jun 4, 2002 at 1340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-07748
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lovozero – Murmansk
MSN:
1G159-23
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff from Lovozero Airstrip, while climbing to a height of 15-20 metres, the engine lost power and white smoke escaped from the bottom of the engine. The aircraft lost height, struck an 8 metres tall tree located 191 metres past the runway end then crashed in a wooded area 58 metres further. All 12 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure due to poor maintenance. Deficiencies were reported during investigations regarding the operator's maintenance procedures. The documentation related to aircraft maintenance was incomplete. Also, several mechanics and engineers working on the AN-2 fleet were not qualified and authorised to do so.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134IK at Severomorsk-Safonovo NAS: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1982
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
CCCP-65687
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Severomorsk
MSN:
62400
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Moscow-Zhukovsky Airport on a flight to Severomorsk-Safonovo NAS, carrying 16 people. On approach, the crew encountered bad weather conditions and the visibility was poor. On final, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) alarm sounded in the cockpit, informing the pilot his altitude was too low. The navigator also informed the captain that the aircraft deviated from the approach path to the left by one km but the captain ignored these messages as well as ATC instructions. At an altitude of 206 meters, the left wing struck an electric pole. The aircraft lost height and crashed, bursting into flames. The captain survived and was slightly injured while 15 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The captain failed to follow the approach procedures and ignored ATC instructions as well as GPWS and other crew member warnings. In such conditions, he led the aircraft deviating from the approach path and descending below the minimum safe altitude until impact.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M in Kirovsk

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-91535
MSN:
1470 012 01
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while on approach to Kirovsk Airport. Occupant's fate unknown.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-124V near Kilpyavr AFB: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1970 at 1927 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45083
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Leningrad - Murmansk
MSN:
5 35 17 06
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
SU145
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
7425
Aircraft flight cycles:
5854
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight by night at an assigned altitude of 8,400 meters, the crew was cleared to descent to 2,400 bound for Kilpyavr AFB near Murmansk. While in a 3° nose-down attitude, the airplane struck the snow covered slope of a hill (240 meters high), slid for 624 meters then lost its both engines and wings and came to a halt, broken in two. The wreckage was found 29,5 km from the airport and 8 km to the right of the extended centerline. Eight passengers and three crew members (the captain, the navigator and the flight engineer) were killed while 27 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot-in-command started the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to descend below the minimum prescribed altitude. The lack of visibility caused by night and the absence of any visual reference points on the ground did not allow the crew to know his exact position and to distinguish the ground obstacles. ATC allowed the crew to perform a straight-in approach with radar control. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Absence of an established approach procedure,
- Intermittent loss of VHF communications during the approach procedure,
- The relative inexperience of the flying crew with less than 500 flying hours on this type of aircraft.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-124V in Murmansk: 32 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1965 at 1557 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45086
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leningrad – Murmansk
MSN:
5 35 18 01
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
SU099
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
57
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Aircraft flight hours:
357
Aircraft flight cycles:
300
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Leningrad-Pulkovo Airport, the crew started the approach to Murmansk Airport by night and poor weather conditions due to snow falls. After passing the middle marker, the aircraft was 400 meters left of the approach path when the visibility suddenly dropped due to a snow squall. The airplane was below the glide when the captain misinterpreted lights on the ground and decided to increased the rate of descent. The airplane struck the icy surface of the Kilp Yavr Lake located 1,5 km short of runway 31, lost its left wing and came to rest in shallow water about 1,562 meters short of runway. 32 occupants were evacuated while 32 others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Poor weather conditions upon arrival with sudden deterioration of the visibility,
- Wrong decision on part of the crew who descended below the glide,
- Lack of ATC assistance and wrong instructions transmitted to the crew during the final approach procedure.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2V near Murmansk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1964 at 1218 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-09275
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Murmansk - Umba
MSN:
1G23-24
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1963
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Murmansk-Murmashi Airport on a cargo flight to Umba, carrying a crew of two, 158 kilos of various goods and 855 kilos of mail. Few minutes after takeoff, weather conditions deteriorated and the crew deviated from the prescribed flight path to the right by 3 km . In poor visibility, the single engine airplane struck the slope of a snow covered hill (427 meters high), three meters below the summit, passed on the opposite slope of the hill and came to rest in flames, upside down, some 30 meters below the summit. The wreckage was 20 km south of Murmashi Airport and both crew members were seriously injured. The captain died from his injuries five days later.
Probable cause:
Poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew who failed to follow the prescribed flight path after departure.

Crash of a Chyetverikov Che-2 in Luostari: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in an operation in Luostari and was supposed to bomb its airfield. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Ivan Terentyevich Trofimov, pilot,
AC2 Petr Petrovich Popov, mechanic,
Sgt Nikolay Abramovich Nenashev, wireless operator and air gunner,
2nd Lt Konstantin Efimovich Vakhromeev, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Beriev MBR-2 near Cape Vyevnavolok: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The floatplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Cape Vyevnavolok, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Lt Konstantin Dmitrievich Medvedev, pilot,
AC1 Nikolay Kirillovich Bilshenko, mechanic,
Sgt Petr Terentyevich Khivrenko, air gunner,
Sgt Ivan Grigorievich Lukin, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Beriev MBR-2 near Cape Vyevnavolok: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The floatplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Cape Vyevnavolok, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Cpt Viktor Leonidovich Brailovsky, pilot,
Lt Saveliy Salomonovich Tseskis,
Sgt Evgeny Aleksandrovich Maltsev, mechanic,
Sgt Viktor Grigorievitch Babenkov, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Beriev MBR-2 off Murmansk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to make an emergency landing when the floatplane crashed into the sea off the coast of Murmansk oblast. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Aleksey Ivanovich Blinov, pilot,
Cpt Ivan Andreevich Zhernovoy, navigator,
Sgt Leonid Leonidovich Denisov, wireless operator and air gunner.