Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Sverdlovsk – Kuybyshev - Kharkiv

MSN:

00 347 404

YOM:

1970

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

24967

Aircraft flight cycles:

10249

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff, sparks were observed coming over the main front door. The climb procedure was continued and one minute and 25 seconds after takeoff, the crew retarded engine power to nominal values but both engines n°3 and 4 failed to respond and continued to turn at full power. In such conditions, the captain decided to return for an emergency landing. Following an unstable approach, the aircraft landed hard, bounced and became uncontrollable. It veered off runway and broke in two, bursting into flames. All six occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that an electrical short-circuit had occurred in the engine control system for engines n°3 and 4, causing an asymmetric thrust. A lack of crew training and an excessive emotional stress situation for the crew were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12TB in Sverdlovsk

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-11378

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

MSN:

402608

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances upon landing at Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Kuybyshev: 70 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1986 at 1550 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-134

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-65766

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sverdlovsk – Kuybyshev – Grozny

MSN:

62327

YOM:

1979

Flight number:

SU6502

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

16154

Aircraft flight cycles:

9689

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport, the crew started the approach to Kuybyshev-Kurumoch Airport. For training purposes, the captain decided to attempt a 'blind' approach and closed the window blinds on his side, which was prohibited in such conditions. At decision height, he decided to continue and failed to realize the configuration was wrong. The aircraft passed over the runway 15 threshold and one second prior to impact, the flight engineer opened the window blinds but this was too late. At a speed of 280 km/h and with a rate of descent of 5 meters per second, the aircraft struck the runway surface with a positive acceleration of 4,8 g. This caused the left wing to be partially torn off. Out of control, the aircraft continued for about 214 meters then came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. 64 occupants were killed while 30 others were injured, some seriously. Within few hours, six of the survivors died from their injuries.

Probable cause:

Decision of the captain to attempt a 'blind' approach in violation of the published procedures. He also decided to continue the approach after he passed the decision height and failed to initiate a go-around maneuver. There was no reaction or any correction from the rest of the flying crew.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Sverdlovsk: 38 killed

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1978 at 1952 LT

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87437

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sverdlovsk - Kostanay - Dzhambul

MSN:

9 43 13 35

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

SU1080

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

6291

Aircraft flight cycles:

5110

Circumstances:

Less than a minute after liftoff, while climbing in marginal weather conditions, the left engine failed. The captain informed ATC about the situation and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. Unable to gain height, the airplane struck trees at a speed of 210 km/h and crashed in a wooded area located on a hilly terrain about 7,5 km from the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 38 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the left engine failed slightly less than a minute after rotation due to icing. For unknown reasons, the crew failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist and did not activate the engine deicing systems despite the fact that icing conditions were reported in altitude. During climb, the left engine failed while both engines n°2 and 3 did not provide sufficient power. Also, it was determined that the total weight of the aircraft was 419 kg above MTOW while its speed at the time the left engine failed was insufficient, also because the landing gear were not completely raised.

Crash of an Antonov AN-8 in Sverdlovsk: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-8

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-69316

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sverdlovsk - Moscow

MSN:

0D3490

YOM:

1960

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

4361

Aircraft flight cycles:

3045

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the left engine failed and caught fire. The was unable to feather the propeller so the aircraft lost speed and height, stalled and crashed in flames to the left of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine after the 3rd stage of the compressor failed and disintegrated due to the presence of fatigue cracks.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Kirov

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87328

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kirov – Sverdlovsk

MSN:

9 33 07 30

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 5 meters, the landing gears were retracted when power on all three engines dropped by 70%. The captain decided to land back. The aircraft belly landed, overran, collided with various approach lights and equipments before coming to rest in flames. All 32 occupants were quickly evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the power reduction could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that it may be caused by a wrong manipulation on part of the flight engineer was not ruled out.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Sverdlovsk: 108 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1973 at 2037 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-104

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-42506

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sverdlovsk – Omsk – Novosibirsk – Chita – Khabarovsk – Vladivostok

MSN:

0 2 19 04

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

SU3932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

100

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

108

Aircraft flight hours:

20582

Aircraft flight cycles:

9412

Circumstances:

After takeoff by night from Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport, the crew was cleared to climb to 1,500 meters and initiated a left turn as instructed by ATC. The airplane first banked left to an angle of 35-40° and at an altitude of 1,200 meters, the left angle increased to 75-80° when control was lost. The airplane entered a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in a wooded area located 10 km from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and none of the 108 occupants survived the crash. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were considered as marginal with a visibility limited to 6 km, overcast 800 feet, wind from northwest at 15 knots and light rain.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control during initial climb was the consequence of the failure of artificial horizons as a result of a malfunction of the on-board electrical system. The combination of night, lack of visibility and flight instruments failure caused the pilot to suffer a spatial disorientation and the eventual loss of control.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T in Serov

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-93467

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Sverdlovsk – Serov – Ivdel – Ust-Manya

MSN:

1 31 473 05

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field in Serov and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Sverdlovsk: 107 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1967 at 2103 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-75538

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: