Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Krenkel: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1981 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-04188
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Myashkovo – Vorkuta – Dikson – Krenkel
MSN:
6 34 13 01
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
27926
Aircraft flight cycles:
11225
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Myachkovo to the Krenkel Airstrip located on the Heiss Island (Franz-Joseph Land archipelago, Arkhangelsk oblast) with intermediate stops in Vorkuta and Dikson, carrying six crew members, seven passengers (scientits) and various equipments for a scientific team located in Krenkel. On approach at dusk, the crew twice lost visual contact with the runway lighting. Instead of initiating a go-around, the pilot-in-command decided to continue the approach when the airplane touched down in deep snow (one meter deep) about 32 metres to the left of the runway. On impact, the nose gear collapsed, the lower part of the nose was damaged and the long-range fuel tanks in the cabin broke away, hit and killed two passengers. The other 11 occupants were injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the approach configuration was wrong and that the pilot-in-command failed to react to the copilot calls. At time time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 700 kilos above max gross weight. At takeoff, it was determined that the total weight was 1,650 kilos above the MTOW.