Russia | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

After takeoff from Ivanovo-Severny AFB, while climbing, the engine n°4 caught fire. The crew decided to return to the base and initiated a circuit in a slight right bank attitude. Few dozen seconds after departure, the engine n°4 detached. The airplane later entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. All 16 occupants were killed. The crew was en route to the airbase of Plessetsk, Arkhangelsk oblast.

Crash of a Beriev A-50U near Yeysk: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 2024 at 1844 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beriev A-50

Operator:

Registration:

RF-50610

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

00834 84538

YOM:

1989

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at night in the region of Yeysk, the four engine airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in an open field located near Yeysk. All 10 occupants were killed. The airplane was operated by the 610th Center of Combat Application and coded 42 Red. Ukraine's military intelligence agency confirmed Russian A-50 military aircraft had been downed as a result of a joint operation with the Air Force.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-76M near Yablonovo: 74 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 2024 at 1115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-76

Operator:

Registration:

RF-86868

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Belgorod

MSN:

00134 28833

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Moscow-Chkalovsky Airport on a flight to Belgorod, carrying 65 Ukrainian soldiers, three accompanying people and six crew members. The crew started the descent to Belgorod Airport when the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent, rolled to the left and eventually crashed in a snow covered field located in Yablonovo, about 55 km northeast of Belgorod Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 74 occupants were killed. The exact circumstances of the accident remains unclear as Russian Authorities claim that the airplane has been shot down, by error or voluntarily, by a Ukrainian missile. The 65 Ukrainian soldiers were transferred to Belgorod as part of a prisoner exchange program.
Crew:
Stanislav Bezzubkin, pilot,
Alexey Vysokin, copilot,
Andrey Piluev, flight engineer,
Sergey Zhitenev, technician,
Igor Sablinsky, radio operator.

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

Date & Time: Nov 10, 2023 at 1242 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Strizhavia

Registration:

RA-84566

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Pevek - Polyarny

MSN:

1G189-33

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7978

Captain / Total hours on type:

851.00

Aircraft flight hours:

345

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Pevek on a cargo flight to Polyarny, carrying two passengers, one pilot and a load of 150 kg of various goods. Approaching the destination, weather conditions deteriorated with heavy rain falls. In limited visibility, the airplane impacted the ground and crashed in the snow covered tundra few km from Polyarny. The wreckage was found few hours later and all three occupants were injured, the captain seriously. The airplane was a TR-301, a version of the AN-2 without the lower wings. Modification were performed by Tekhnoregion under MSN ТR301.21.004.

Probable cause:

The collision with a mountainside occurred in a mountainous area during daylight under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) that did not permit Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations, as a result of the pilot-in-command (PIC) losing visual contact with the ground.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The decision by the PIC to proceed with the flight despite forecasted meteorological conditions along the route and at the landing site that did not permit VFR operations (due to heavy precipitation).
- The failure of the PIC to take appropriate measures to avoid an hazardous area when signs of dangerous meteorological phenomenons became evident during the flight.
- Conducting the flight in violation of the aircraft's operational limitations under conditions unsuitable for VFR.
- The PIC's failure to make a timely decision to return to the departure airport or divert to an alternate airport when weather conditions deteriorated to levels below the minimums established for VFR operations.

Final Report:

Crash of an Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy 600 in Kuzhenkino: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 2023 at 1715 LT

Type of aircraft:

Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy 600

Operator:

Registration:

RA-02795

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Saint Petersburg

MSN:

145-1008

YOM:

2007

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The Legacy departed Moscow-Sheremetyevo Airport shortly before 1645LT on a flight to St Petersburg-Pulkovo, carrying seven passengers and three crew members. According to the radar, while cruising at FL280, it entered an uncontrolled descent and spiraled into the ground until it crashed in an open field located near the village of Kuzhenkino, bursting into flames. The airplane was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed. The airplane was the property of the Wagner Group owned by Evgueni Viktorovitch Prigozhine who was on board with Dmitry Utkin, n°2 of the group. It is showable on videos that the airplane was emanating white/grey smoke while spiraling to the ground.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-22M-11 near Kantemirovka: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 2023

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-22

Operator:

Registration:

RF-75917

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Ivanovo - Ivanovo

MSN:

29640 10105

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine airplane departed Ivanovo-Severny Airbase on a survey mission, carrying 10 crew members. In flight, it was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and caught fire. It entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located near Kantemirovka, bursting into flames. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
LT Col Artem Milovanov,
Maj Gennady Belyakin,
Maj Alexander Sviridov,
Cpt Viktor Popov,
Cpt Artem Sharoglazov,
Cpt Igor Volochilov,
Lt Nikita Golubev,
S/Sgt Alexey Skrykov,
S/Sgt Viktor Podrepny,
Sgt Sergey Starushok.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a surface-to-air missile. The origin of the shot remains unclear but it is believed that it was from Wagner's mercenaries.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Karatayka: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 2023 at 1430 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

RA-71165

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Ust-Kara – Karatayka – Naryan-Mar

MSN:

1G200-08

YOM:

1983

Flight number:

NYA1095

Location:

Karatayka

Nenets Autonomous Okrug

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12141

Captain / Total hours on type:

8178.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3734

Copilot / Total hours on type:

3734

Aircraft flight hours:

12705

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Ust-Kara on a schedule service to Naryan-Mar with an intermediate stop in Karatayka, carrying 10 passengers and two crews. Approaching Karatayka, the crew encountered icing conditions and decided to divert to Varandey. Engine power was at maximum but the airplane was unable to climb above 200 metres. In such conditions, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane crashed landed in a snow covered area located some 10 km northwest of Karatayka. A passenger and the captain were killed while 10 other occupants were injured. Shortly before the accident, the crew reported severe icing conditions.

Probable cause:

An emergency landing was necessary because of the inability to continue the flight due to the impact of icing on the aircraft's aerodynamic and thrust characteristics.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The captain's failure to consider potential risks of the aircraft encountering icing conditions when making the decision to take off;
- The captain's delayed decision to change the flight plan despite receiving information about deteriorating meteorological conditions at the destination, which fell below the established thresholds for VFR (Visual Flight Rules) night flights and indicated the possibility of aircraft icing;
- Non-compliance with VFR rules regarding prolonged flight in actual icing conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Prochookopskaya: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 2022 at 2127 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

RA-02240

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Prochookopskaya - Prochookopskaya

MSN:

1G235-11

YOM:

1989

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6647

Captain / Total hours on type:

6647.00

Aircraft flight hours:

4871

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane was engaged in a local flight in Prochookopskaya. While attempting to land at night, the airplane collided with the cables of a power line and crashed in a wooded area, coming to rest upside down. The wreckage was found some 10 km north of the Armavir Airport. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The aircraft collided with the wires of an overhead power line, which had no night markings, with subsequent collision with trees and ground.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Inadequate experience of the pilot in night flying conditions,
- Violation of the AN-2 flight manual, which prescribes instruments night flights,
- Decision to fly at night to a landing site without adequate light equipment,
- Flying at an altitude lower than the prescribed altitude of unlit obstacles, of which the pilot was aware,
- Decision of the pilot to perform the flight in a reduced crew configuration (without a copilot).

Final Report:

Crash of an Ilyushin II-76MD at Dyagilevo AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 2022 at 0305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-76

Operator:

Registration:

RF-78778

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dyagilevo AFB - Belgorod

MSN:

00834 89659

YOM:

1988

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Dyagilevo AFB (Ryazan) on a night flight apparently to Belgorod, carrying nine crew members. After takeoff, the engine n°4 caught fire. The crew elected to return for an emergency landing but the aircraft went out of control and crashed about one km from the airbase, bursting into flames. Four crew members were seriously injured and five others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Crash of an Antonov AN-30M near Olenyok

Date & Time: Jun 22, 2022

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-30

Operator:

NPP Mir

Registration:

RA-30001

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Yakutsk - Olenek

MSN:

14 02

YOM:

1978

Flight number:

9424

Location:

Olenyok

Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane departed Yakutsk Airport on a cargo flight to Olenyok, carrying seven crew members and a load of 6,3 tons of food. En route, the airplane suffered a double engine failure. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a wooded area located 70 km from Olenyok and came to rest. All seven crew members evacuated the cabin, among them three were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the double engine failure is the consequence of a fuel exhaustion.

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