Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Tashkent: 37 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 2004 at 1927 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UK-87985
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Termez - Tashkent
MSN:
9 54 08 44
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
UZB1154
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Aircraft flight hours:
37000
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Termez, the crew started the descent to Tashkent-Yuzhny Airport by night and marginal weather conditions. The visibility was limited due to foggy conditions with an RVR between 600 and 900 metres for runway 08L. The captain continued the approach with an excessive rate of descent, causing the aircraft to pass below the MDA without any visual contact with the ground. At an altitude of 165-170 metres, the captain positioned the airplane in a flat attitude then continued the descent at a distance of 2 km from the runway threshold, but this time with an insufficient rate of descent. The aircraft passed over the runway threshold at a height of about 30-40 metres and flew over the runway for a distance of 3,3 km. The captain established a visual contact with the runway lights, elected to land but failed to realize he was in fact approaching the end of the runway which is 4 km long. He reduced both engines power to idle, activated the thrust reversers when he realized his mistake and attempted a go-around. The aircraft collided with a 2 metres high concrete wall located 260 metres past the runway end, lost its right wing and crashed in a drainage ditch located along the perimeter fence, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 37 occupants were killed, among them Richard Conroy, special UNO representative in Uzbekistan.
Probable cause:
The following factors were identified:
- The crew failed to maintain a correct approach pattern maybe following a wrong setting of the approach selector in SP mode instead of ILS mode,
- The crew decided to continue the approach without establishing any visual contact with the approach light and runway light system,
- The crew failed to comply with published procedures,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Dnipropetrovsk

Date & Time: Apr 28, 2003
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UR-87918
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9 73 08 55
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On flare, the aircraft was unstable and rolled from right to left. When landing firmly on runway 09/27, the aircraft was not properly aligned and ran off runway to the right at a speed of 115 km/h. It eventually collided with a dike located 100 metres further. All 17 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Urganch

Date & Time: Apr 9, 2003
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UK-87367
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9341731
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During takeoff roll on runway 13/31, the crew noticed a loss of power on the left engine and decided to abort. The aircraft could not be stopped within the remaining distance and overran. It lost its right main gear and came to rest few dozen metres further. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.