Region
Asia

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P off Sukhumi: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1956 at 2050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1718
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Moscow-Vnukovo – Kharkiv – Rostov-on-Don – Sukhumi – Kutaisi – Tbilisi
MSN:
1460 002 02
YOM:
14
Flight number:
SU227
Location:
Sukhumi-Babushara
Abkhazia
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
19
Aircraft flight cycles:
12
Circumstances:
Less than one minute after takeoff from Sukhumi Airport by night, while climbing to a height of 60 meters, the aircraft adopted a pitch-down attitude and eventually crashed into the sea about 3 km off shore. The airplane sank by 15 meters deep and all six occupants were killed. The aircraft was carrying a load of 2,117 kilos of mail.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be established with certainty. However, the assumption the pilot could be blinded by a beam was not ruled out.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 near Zugdidi: 18 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1953 at 1635 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1375
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow – Rostov-on-Don – Tbilisi
MSN:
30103
YOM:
28
Flight number:
SU229
Location:
Zugdidi
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Aircraft flight hours:
3204
Circumstances:
The crew departed Moscow-Vnukovo Airport at 0520LT on a flight to Tbilisi with an intermediate stop scheduled at Rostov-on-Don. Due to the deterioration of the weather conditions and the presence of a storm between Krasnodar and Sukhumi, the crew decided to modify his route and obtained the permission from ATC to divert to Krasnodar. The crew and the passengers waited for few hours at Krasnodar Airport and the aircraft took off at 1507LT bound for Tbilisi. While cruising under VFR at an altitude of 2,400 meters, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, heavy rain falls, turbulence, hail and lightning. Within few minutes, the aircraft was hit by lightning and suffered heavy turbulence so went out of control and entered a dive. At an altitude of 300 meters, the crew elected to regain control but high g forces exceeded the design of the wings that were torn off. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames in a wooded and hilly terrain located near the village of Grigorishi, about 15 km northeast of Zugdidi. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 18 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by poor weather conditions consisting of thunderstorm activity with heavy rain falls, hail, turbulence and lightning.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12P in Tbilisi: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1950 at 2208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1340
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tbilisi - Tbilisi
MSN:
30 046
YOM:
6
Location:
Tbilisi-Shota-Rustaveli (ex Novo Alekseyevka)
Tbilisi City District
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
485
Circumstances:
On a circular training flight in Tbilisi-Alekseyevka at night with 6 unauthorized passengers on board when the trainee pilot deviated from the approach pattern and glide path, so the aircraft hit the top of a hill (175 metres but not indicated on the flight map) located some 4.8 km northwest of the airport, broke up, came to rest on the slope of the hill and caught fire. Three crew and a passenger were killed while all six other occupants were slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK in Caucasus: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1947 at 0953 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L952
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Moscou-Vnoukovo
MSN:
14874/26319
YOM:
14
Flight number:
SU034
Location:
Georgia
All Georgia
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Aircraft flight hours:
2236
Circumstances:
About an hour and 13 minutes after departure from Tbilisi Airport, the crew decided to modify his route to save time. Few minutes later, while cruising vertical of the Caucasus Mountain Range, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 23 occupants was found. The wreckage was found by walkers in an isolated and mountainous area of north Georgia on June 20, 1947.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew to change the itinerary, against all published procedures and navigational rules.

Crash of a Yakovlev AIR-6 near Pskhu: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev AIR-6
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-K182
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Sukhumi - Pskhu
MSN:
7799
YOM:
1936
Location:
Pskhu
Abkhazia
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Sukhumi on a supply mission to Pskhu. The airplane failed to arrive at destination and is believed to have been shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the Pereval Dou (Dou Pass) located about 11 km southeast of Pskhu Airfield. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Probably shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Yakovlev AIR-6 near Pskhu

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev AIR-6
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-K165
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
7786
YOM:
1936
Location:
Pskhu
Abkhazia
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was supposed to deliver various goods in the region of Pskhu. While approaching the destination, it was shot down by ground fire. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the engine failed. The airplane crashed in a wooded area and was destroyed. Both occupants escaped unhurt.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Kalinin K-5 in Tbilisi

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L566
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
57
YOM:
1930
Location:
Tbilisi
Tbilisi City District
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Tbilisi Airport, the airplane was caught by a strong gust of wind. It first veered off runway to the left then to the right and crashed. Both crew members were rescued.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the wind component was up to 24 mps (86 km/h) which is above tolerated values. The airport authority did not take the appropriate decision and led the crew to land in such conditions.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-41) on Mt Ninikas-Tsikhe: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1942 at 1253 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3527
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Ordzonikidze – Mineralnye Vody – Krasnodar
MSN:
20/214
YOM:
1939
Location:
Mt Ninikas-Tsikhe
Kakheti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
602
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Tbilisi Airport at 1233LT on a flight to Krasnodar with intermediate stops in Ordzonikidze (Vladikavkaz) and Mineralnye Vody. After departure, the crew climbed to an altitude of 2,500 metres then continued over the Caucasian Mountain Range. As weather conditions deteriorated, the pilot climbed to an altitude of 4,000 metres and realized it would not be possible to pass over the mountains so he decided to fly to the east, direction Baku. Shortly later, while flying at an altitude of 4,000 metres, the airplane caught fire in flight and crashed on the slope of Mt Ninikas-Tsikhe, bursting into flames. The airplane was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the in-flight fire could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Vaziani: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-9 (PS-9)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L157
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Skydiving / Paratroopers
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Vaziani - Vaziani
MSN:
158
YOM:
1933
Location:
Vaziani
Kvemo Kartli
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
5138
Circumstances:
At 0800LT, the crew departed Tbilisi Airport on a short flight to the nearest airport of Vaziani where seven skydivers were picked up for a local exercise. During the takeoff roll at Vaziani Airport, the airplane veered to the left and the pilot aborted. A second attempt to takeoff was also abandoned few minutes later for the same reasons. As the crew thought that the mudguard was rubbing the left wheel, they proceeded with a slight modification of the position of the mudguard. On the third attempt to takeoff, the airplane lifted off then climbed to a height of 2-3 metres when it turned 90° to the left, causing the left wheel to touch the ground. The airplane rolled on a distance of 88 metres then the right wheel struck the ground as well. The airplane continued on a distance of nine metres then crashed. The airplane was totally destroyed and two paratroopers were killed. The other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control after takeoff was the consequence of the failure of the right rudder control cable.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The person in charge of the maintenance of the airplane was asked on October 20 to proceed with the change of both rudder control cables. The mechanic failed to comply with this order, did not proceed with any change and reported to his superiors that he changed the cables, which was not the case,
- The superior failed to check the work from his mechanic prior to release the airplane,
- The crew failed to inspect the airplane prior to takeoff and did not comply with published procedures,
- The pilot continued the takeoff procedure with an apparently defective airplane and failed to reduce the engine power when the airplane turned left after liftoff.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Mestia

Date & Time: May 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2988
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kutaisi - Mestia
MSN:
5777
YOM:
1932
Location:
Mestia
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an error on part of the pilot, the airplane crashed upon landing at Mestia Airport. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.
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