Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D in Sochi

Date & Time: May 10, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75414
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sochi - Chelyabinsk
MSN:
186 0093 03
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
72
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
27042
Aircraft flight cycles:
10823
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Sochi-Adler, at a speed of 220 km/h at a distance of 1,100 meters from the runway end, the aircraft's speed fluctuated for about 2-3 seconds. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. The airplane's speed increased to 250 km/h until the reverse thrust activated. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and eventually collided with trees. 15 occupants, among them five crew members, were injured. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The decision of the captain to abandon the takeoff procedure was hasty as the takeoff configuration and all takeoff calculation were correct. It was determined that the speed's fluctuation at 220 km/h was the consequence of a brutal change it the wind direction and speed. Nevertheless, the aircraft was already above V1 and the takeoff should be continued.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D in Luanda: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DM-STL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luanda - Lusaka
MSN:
186 0094 02
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane was dispatched from Berlin to Luanda to transfer a load of weapons and ammunitions to the ZAPU (Zimbabwe African People's Union) militants based in Lusaka, Rhodesia. The cargo arrived from East Germany by boat and was transferred to the airplane. During the takeoff roll on runway 23, at a speed of 268 km/h, the engine n°2 failed. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, collided with the localizer antenna and crashed in flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Dieter Hartmann, pilot,
Jochen Wilsdorf, pilot,
Horst Umlauft, navigator,
Frank-Rolf John, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the engine n°2 failed 56 seconds after the crew started the takeoff procedure, at a speed of 268 km/h, well above the V1 speed fixed at 222 km/h. Investigations reported that the captain first decided to continue the takeoff procedure but eventually decided to abandon and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. The distance available was insufficient.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D in Conakry: 15 killed

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3X-GAX
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow – Bamako – Conakry
MSN:
187 0098 03
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Aircraft flight hours:
8388
Aircraft flight cycles:
4294
Circumstances:
On final approach to Conakry-Gbessia Airport, the four engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in a marshfield located few km short of runway threshold. A crew member and a passenger survived while 15 other occupants were killed.

Ground accident of an Ilyushin II-18 in Bucharest

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HA-MOF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Istanbul - Bucharest - Budapest
MSN:
183 0063 01
YOM:
1963
Flight number:
MA203
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Bucharest-Otopeni Airport was completed in heavy rain falls. After landing, the crew vacated runway and was taxiing when the airplane collided with two trucks parked on the taxiway. The pilot stopped the airplane and all occupants were evacuated safely. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that both truck drivers stopped their vehicles at an unauthorized position.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Bucharest

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-IMI
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bucharest - Bucharest
MSN:
185 0083 02
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Bucharest-Otopeni Airport consisting of touch-and-go manoeuvres. Upon touchdown, the four engine airplane landed hard and bounced. It went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All five crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Mineralnye Vody: 77 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1977 at 2317 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75520
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tashkent - Nukus - Mineralnye Vody
MSN:
183 0067 03
YOM:
1963
Flight number:
SU5003
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
92
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
77
Aircraft flight hours:
29443
Aircraft flight cycles:
10817
Circumstances:
On final approach to Mineralnye Vody Airport by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. At a speed of 290 km/h, flaps were deployed at an angle of 30°, causing the airspeed to drop to 260 km/h. At a distance of 1,500 metres from the runway threshold, the captain decided to initiate a go-around as he was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway. During initial climb, at an altitude of about 90 metres, the airplane entered a right turn then rolled to the right at an angle of 15-30° and adopted a critical angle of attack of 15-18°. The tail stall and the airplane crashed in flames 2 km south of the airport. A crew member and 76 passengers were killed while 21 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to adopt a proper go-around configuration after a missed approach. The loss of control during initial climb was the result of a premature raise of the flaps, which caused the aircraft to reach a critical angle of attack and to stall.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18B in Shenyang

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
B-204
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
189 0016 02
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
921
Aircraft flight cycles:
753
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident at Shenyang Airport. There were no casualties. The mishap occurred during February 1977 (exact date unknown).

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Tashkent

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75575
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
185 0080 04
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
89
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
26578
Aircraft flight cycles:
10114
Circumstances:
The approach and landing at Tashkent-Yuzhny Airport were completed in marginal weather conditions with strong crosswinds. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All 8 crew and 89 passengers escaped unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Bratislava: 76 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1976 at 0937 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OK-NAB
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Prague - Bratislava
MSN:
189 0016 05
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
OK001
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
73
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
76
Circumstances:
While descending to runway 22 at Bratislava-Ivanka-Milan Rastislav Štefánik Airport, the crew adopted a wrong approach configuration and descended with a rate of descent of 22 m/s instead of 10 m/s. This caused the airplane to be unstable while its speed varied from 435 to 225 km/h. Flaps were directly selected from zero to full down position, which caused the airplane's speed to decrease. Reverse thrust were activated on both engines n°2 and 3 below the altitude of 1,000 metres. At this time, the engine n°3 failed and in a certain confusion, the crew inadvertently feathered the propeller on engine n°4. During the last segment, about 50 metres above the runway threshold, the captain considered a missed approach and decided to initiate a go-around manoeuvre. The airplane climbed to an altitude of 40 metres and turn to the right when the engine n°4 was restarted. The airplane rolled to the right then stalled and crashed in the Zlaté piersky Lake located one km short of runway 13 threshold, northwest of the airport. Four passengers were rescued while 75 other occupants were killed. Few hours later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew who failed to follow the approved procedures. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Poor approach planning,
- Poor crew coordination,
- Unstable approach,
- Failure of the n°3 engine,
- Reverse thrust activated on engines n°2 and 3 at an unsafe altitude,
- Propeller on engine n°4 inadvertently feathered on approach,
- Inappropriate decisions on part of the captain,
- Poor flight supervision.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18E in Verkhnyaya Khava: 111 killed

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1976 at 0058 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75408
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow - Yerevan
MSN:
186 0092 01
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
SU909
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
100
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
111
Aircraft flight hours:
21587
Aircraft flight cycles:
9082
Circumstances:
While cruising by night at an altitude of 7,800 metres, the electrical system failed, causing several instruments to fail, among them gyros. Control was lost and the airplane entered a dive and eventually crashed in a nose-down angle of 70° in an open field located 150 metres from the village of Verkhnyaya Khava, about 50 km northeast of Voronezh. Some debris of the airplane were found at a depth of 14 meters. It disintegrated on impact and all 111 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The 36 volts electrical system failed in flight, causing the automatic pilot system to fail as well as instruments such as gyros. Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the electrical system's failure. While flying by night and in a visibility reduced by clouds, the crew was unable to have visual references and lost control of the airplane after suffering a spatial disorientation.