Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A-3 in Buchalki: 44 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 2004 at 2253 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-134
Operator:
Registration:
RA-65080
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow - Volgograd
MSN:
60065
YOM:
1977
Flight number:
WLG1303
Location:
Buchalki
Tula oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
44
Aircraft flight hours:
30751
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Moscow-Domodedovo Airport at 2230LT on a regular service to Volgograd with 35 passengers and a crew of nine on board. Some 23 minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 8,100 metres, the aircraft suffered an in-flight explosion, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field located near Buchalki. The wreckage was found in the middle of the night and all 44 occupants were killed. The accident occurred at the same time of a Tupolev TU-154 operated by Sibir Airlines.
Probable cause:
The Federal Safety Board (FSB) reported 3 days later that the accident was the consequence of the explosion of a bomb. Two women flying from Makhatshala landed in Moscow at 1945LT and were able to embark with the explosive device following security deficiencies.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Volgograd

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1995
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Volga Airlines - Aviakompania Volga
Registration:
RA-68142
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G195-47
YOM:
1982
Location:
Volgograd
Volgograd oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Volgograd. Occupant's fate unknown.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Rostov-on-Don

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1995 at 1506 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Volga Airlines - Aviakompania Volga
Registration:
RA-87464
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Volgograd - Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
9 43 03 37
YOM:
1974
Location:
Rostov-on-Don
Rostov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Rostov-on-Don Airport, the three engine aircraft encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage, struck a concrete wall and came to rest 870 past the runway end. All 10 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Following a wrong manipulation, the flight engineer activated the thrust reversers on engine n°1 and n°3 but not on the engine n°2 that was providing full power. Such configuration reduced the braking action and the crew was unable to stop the aircraft within the landing distance available.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Nalcik: 13 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1994 at 1116 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
RA-11118
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Saint Petersburg - Volgograd - Nalcik
MSN:
01 348 002
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
FV9045
Location:
Nalcik
Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from St Petersburg to Nalcik with an intermediate stop in Volgograd, carrying seven passengers, six crew members and a load of 12,5 tons of coins minted in St Petersburg. On final approach, at a distance of 8 km from the airport, at a speed of 260 km/h, flaps were selected down to an angle of 35°. Thirty seconds later, the aircraft started to pitch up and down then nosed up to an angle of 15°. It entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed at a speed of 414 km/h in a nose down angle of 55° in an open field located 4,5 km short of runway threshold. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of an excessive accumulation of ice on stabilizers. Information transmitted to the crew regarding weather conditions at destination did not reflect the actual situation and did not mention any icing conditions.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-42 in Sverdlovsk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1990 at 0153 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-42
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42351
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Volgograd – Sverdlovsk – Ekaterinbourg
MSN:
18 11 379
YOM:
1988
Flight number:
SU8175
Location:
Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo
Sverdlovsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
124
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
4509
Aircraft flight cycles:
2824
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Volgograd, the crew started a night descent to Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport. On final approach, the crew failed to realize he was misaligned and that his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck trees. It descended until it crashed in an open field located 1,700 meters short of runway 08 threshold and came to rest, broken in two. Three passengers and a crew member were killed while all other occupants were evacuated, among them 40 were wounded.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- Crew fatigue due to excessive duty calendar,
- The crew neglected several procedures and adopted a wrong approach configuration,
- The aircraft was not properly aligned on the glide and was approaching at an insufficient altitude,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure,
- Lack of crew coordination,
- Absence of crew crosscheck on approach.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP in Krasnodar: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1989 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-09679
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Krasnodar – Volgograd – Uralsk – Sterlitamak
MSN:
1G76-13
YOM:
1966
Location:
Krasnodar
Krasnodar Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
16770
Aircraft flight cycles:
18909
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was engaged in a cargo flight from Krasnodar to Sterlitamak with two intermediate stops in Volgograd and Uralsk, carrying two pilots, two passengers (beekeepers) and a load of boxes containing thousands of bees. Just after liftoff, at a height of about 1,5 meter, the aircraft's speed dropped and the tail stalled, hitting the runway surface. Out of control, the aircraft flew/rolled for few hundred meters then crashed 420 meters past the runway end. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. A passenger died from his injuries few hours later.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to prepare the flight according to procedures and all boxes were not properly weighted. Due to a misevaluation of the box weight, the crew allowed a too high number of boxes to be stored in the cargo compartment. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 6,081 kilos which means 831 kilos above the max allowable takeoff weight. Also, the CofG was 40,8% over the aft limit. In such conditions, the aircraft could not be flow in a safely manner.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Volgograd

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1983
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-32320
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G97-32
YOM:
1968
Location:
Volgograd
Volgograd oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the district of Kikvidzensky, north of Volgograd city, while flying in below weather minima conditions.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Kletsko-Poshtovskiy: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1980 at 1110 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-91775
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Volgograd - Kletsko-Poshtovskiy
MSN:
1G38-22
YOM:
1963
Location:
Kletsko-Poshtovskiy
Volgograd oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
17292
Aircraft flight cycles:
25606
Circumstances:
Two PZL-Mielec AN-2 CCCP-91775 and CCCP-91762 left Volgograd on a positioning flight to Kletsko-Poshtovskiy for a crop spraying mission. CCCP-91775 was carrying one mechanic of the company and two pilots. While approaching Kletsko-Pochtovskiy at an altitude of about 300 meters, the propeller of 91762 struck the left stabilizer of 91775. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in an open field located 10 km south of Kletsko-Pochtovskiy while the crew of 91762 was able to complete an emergency landing 2 km from the scene. All three occupants on board 91775 were killed while on board 91762, they escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Failure of both crew to maintain a safe separation between both aircraft, lack of caution and insufficient attention to flight operations.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Tbilisi

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-87544
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ulyanovsk - Volgograd - Tbilisi
MSN:
9 53 09 42
YOM:
1975
Location:
Tbilisi-Shota-Rustaveli (ex Novo Alekseyevka)
Tbilisi City District
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On the leg from Volgograd to Tbilisi, while flying by night, both primary and emergency hydraulic systems failed. Only the nose gear could be lowered while stabilizers and flaps remained in neutral position. The aircraft landed on its belly at a speed of 250 km/h and the nose gear touched down 1,264 meters past the runway threshold. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran at a speed of 165 km/h, struck the localizer antenna, a concrete wall and came to rest in a ravine, broken in three. All 30 occupants were injured, three of them seriously.
Probable cause:
Failure of both primary and emergency hydraulic systems in flight after some water that mistakenly leaked in a tank due to a seal problems froze.

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

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1968 at 1021 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-124
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45019
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Volgograd – Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
2 35 05 04
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
SU3153
Location:
Volgograd
Volgograd oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
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.
Subscribe to Volgograd