Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Olyokminsk

Date & Time: May 21, 1981 at 1019 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-35198
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Vitim – Lensk – Olyokminsk
MSN:
1G144-22
YOM:
1970
Location:
Olyokminsk
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
11350
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Lensk Airport at 0909LT on the second leg of a flight from Vitim to Olyokminsk. About an hour later, while cruising at an altitude of 1,500 meters, the engine started to vibrate and the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane descended into trees and crashed in a wooded area located 122 northwest of Olyokminsk, bursting into flames. All nine occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The engine failure was the consequence of the disintegration of the 4th cylinder intake valve.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B near Olyokminsk: 45 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1968 at 1828 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-47733
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Yakutsk – Olyokminsk – Lensk – Ust-Kut – Krasnoyarsk – Novosibirsk
MSN:
69901001
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
SU1668
Location:
Olyokminsk
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
45
Aircraft flight hours:
1543
Aircraft flight cycles:
1543
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Olyokminsk Airport at 1810LT bound for Lensk. Eighteen minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 4,500 meters, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in a near vertical attitude (80°) in a dense wooded area located 92 km west of Olyokminsk. The aircraft partially disintegrated in the air and debris scattered on a large area. There was no fire on board prior to final impact. None of the 45 occupants survived the accident.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. There were no technical failure on engine or equipment prior to the accident nor fire on board nor any in-flight collision with any object.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P near Pokrovsk: 15 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1967 at 1428 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-61657
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Irkutsk - Olyokminsk - Yakutsk
MSN:
6 34 18 01
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
SU1799
Location:
Pokrovsk
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 1,800 meters in snow showers, the crew informed ATC that the right engine caught fire. A minute later, the crew reported he was unable to extinguish the fire and elected to divert to Pokrovsk. While descending, the captain attempted an emergency landing when the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in flames in a snow covered forest located 35 km from Pokrovsk. Five passengers were rescued while 15 others occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the fire on the right engine was caused by the rupture of a fuel line.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Olyokminsk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1962 at 1243 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-84603
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Yakutsk – Olyokminsk
MSN:
4608
YOM:
23
Location:
Olyokminsk
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
11607
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a cargo flight from Yakutsk to Olyokminsk, carrying a load of various goods such as 70 kg of mail, 494 kg of garlic, spare parts, a welding machine, a screen and radio equipment for a total weight of 1,476 kg. While descending to Olyokminsk, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and followed visually the wrong river Sinyaya instead of Lena. Doing so, the aircraft descended prematurely and its altitude was insufficient while passing the outer marker. The aircraft struck trees and crashed on the slope of a wooded hill (434 m high) located 25 km short of runway threshold. The wreckage was found a day later and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Unable to determiner his exact position based on the ETA, the crew erroneously followed the Lena River. As a result of a premature descent, the aircraft collided with trees. ATC, unable to assist the flight by radar in marginal weather conditions, unreasonably gave permission to the crew to perform a straight-in approach, based only on the report of the crew.

Crash of a Douglas TS-62 near in Vitim: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1950 at 0812 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L862
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Irkutsk – Kirensk – Olyokminsk – Yakutsk
MSN:
12136
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
SU543
Location:
Vitim
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Aircraft flight hours:
3686
Circumstances:
En route from Kirensk to Olyokminsk, the left engine caught fire. The captain decided to reduce his altitude but the fire spread to the wing and reached the cabin via the heating system. Descending to an altitude of 2,000 meters, the left engine separated from the aircraft and the aircraft later crash landed in a field located 29 km southwest of Vitim and came to rest in flames. All four crew members and six passengers were able to escape while ten passengers were killed, apparently intoxicated by smoke.
Probable cause:
The cause of the in flight fire on the left engine could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the fire was caused by the failure of a connection on the fuel line was not ruled out. The following factors were considered as contributory:
- the cabin crew failed to us the fire extinguisher, and also failed to close the heating system valve, which contributed to the quick propagation of the fire into the cabin,
- the captain decided to perform a steep descent that also contributed to the fire's propagation,
- the entire crew failed to give appropriate instructions to passengers prior to and after the accident, and failed to assist them for a safe evacuation, causing the death of 10 women and children.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Berdigestyakh: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943 at 0520 LT
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3913
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Yakutsk – Olyokminsk
MSN:
184 12 04
YOM:
1941
Location:
Berdigestyakh
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On a flight from Yakutsk to Olyokminsk, while cruising at a height of some 150 meters, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy snowfalls. Shortly later, both engines lost power and the aircraft lost height, hit trees and crashed in a wooded area. Three crew members were killed, another crew member and one passenger were injured while six other passengers were unhurt. One of them left the area to find help. 11 days later, rescuers arrived on scene to evacuate the seven other survivors.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the dual engine failure was not determined with certainty. However, it is believed it was caused by the fact that the carburetor failed due to icing or the crew (captain or flight engineer) failed to activate the carburetor heating system. It was also reported that the decision of the captain to fly at low altitude was wrong and, at the time of the accident, the flight engineer was intoxicated.
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