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Crash of a Tupolev TU-124 in Volgograd: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1968 at 1021 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45019
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Volgograd – Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
2 35 05 04
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
SU3153
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Volgograd Airport, after a course of 1,000 meters and while at a speed of 260 km/h, the captain attempted to rotate and pulled the control column. In the same time, he mistakenly pushed the spoiler switch for a period of three seconds. After rotation, the aircraft climbed to a height of 10-15 meters and flew for a distance of about 400 meters then banked left and struck the ground. Upon impact, the left wing was torn off and the airplane crashed in a grassy area and came to rest, broken in three. The wreckage was found 83 meters to the left of the runway and 1,640 meters from the runway threshold. 44 people were evacuated safely while four others were seriously injured, among them the copilot, the board mechanic and the board agent. The radio navigator was killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the spoiler switch was inadequately placed on the steering column of the aircraft, allowing the pilot to activate the switch inadvertently prior to takeoff.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-124 in Minsk

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45017
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Minsk
MSN:
1 35 05 02
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Moscow, the pilot-in-command completed the landing at Minsk-Loshitsa Airport (Minsk-1). After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to a halt. While there were no injuries among the occupants, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

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 Tupolev TU-124V in Kuybyshev: 30 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1965 at 1135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45028
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kuybyshev – Rostov-on-Don – Sochi
MSN:
2 35 08 03
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
SU513
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Aircraft flight hours:
1612
Aircraft flight cycles:
1151
Circumstances:
Less than one minute after its takeoff from Kuybyshev Airport, while climbing to a height of 40-50 meters, the airplane stalled then banked left and crashed in a snow covered field located 2,300 meters past the runway end. All nine crew members and 16 passengers were killed while 14 others were seriously injured. Few hours after the crash, five of the survivors died from their injuries. At the time of the accident, the pilot-in-command was under training with an instructor (right seat).
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. Nevertheless, it is believed the loss of control was caused by the dysfunction of the attitude indicator that was probably not fully operational as the accident occurred less than two minutes after the engines have been started. The assumption that water went through the ADI, causing it to fail.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-124 in Leningrad

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1963 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45021
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tallinn – Moscow
MSN:
2 35 07 01
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
47
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Tallinn-Ülemiste Airport at 0855LT, while climbing, the crew encountered technical problems with the undercarriage that could not be raised properly. As there was fog in Tallinn, the crew decided to divert to Leningrad-Pulkovo Airport. The airplane arrived over Leningrad at 1100LT and the crew was authorized to following a holding circuit at an altitude of 500 meters. During the eight circuit, while the fuel jauges indicates a quantity of 750 liters remaining, the left engine stopped. The crew received the permission to land when the right engine failed as well. In such conditions, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing on the Neva River. On touchdown, the aircraft slid for several yards and came to rest near the riverbank. All 52 occupants were evacuated safely and only two occupants were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and later used for ground training.
Probable cause:
Failure of both engines due to a fuel exhaustion caused by an excessive consumption due to the fact that the flight from Tallinn to Leningrad was performed with the undercarriage down. It was also noted that the settings belonging to the fuel jauges failed to reflect the truth, which was considered as a contributing factor. Also, the crew failed to manage the emergency situation properly.