Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Frunze – Aktyubinsk – Uralsk – Moscow

MSN:

7 34 23 04

YOM:

Flight number:

SU164

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2564

Circumstances:

Enroute from Aktyubinsk to Uralsk, while cruising at an altitude of 1,500 meters in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft was hit by lightning. The crew lost control of the aircraft which dove into the ground and crashed in a field located 4 km southeast of Konstantinovski, in the region of Aktyubinsk. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 27 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was struck by a lightning in-flight. Discharge went through the port control cables of the left aileron located on the left wing, behind the rear spar of the center wing between the 4th and 5th section. As a result, the crew was paralyzed or in a state of shock and the control of the airplane was lost instantly. The following factors were reported:
- Presence of thunderstorm activity,
- Overheating and rupture of the control cables on the left aileron due to the exposure to high temperatures,
- The crew was unable to send any distress call,
- The dive was quick, uncontrollable and at an excessive speed,
- The crew was unable to attempt an emergency landing in night conditions,
- Employees at the meteorological station in Aktyubinsk did not indicate any thunderstorm in the weather forecast,
- The observer at the weather station of Novoalekseevka noted the presence of a thunderstorm but failed to report it to the Aktyubinsk weather station, violating the published procedures.

Crash of an Avia 14P in Jõhvi: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1958 at 1252 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avia 14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2048

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Leningrad – Tallinn

MSN:

058 705 101

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1195

Circumstances:

While cruising on a flight from Leningrad to Tallinn, a passenger gave a message to the stewardess to be transmitted to the flying crew. The claims remains unclear and unable to enter the cockpit, the hijacker set on an artisanal bomb and a fire erupted in the cabin. From an altitude of 900 meters, the crew started a steep descent and completed an emergency landing at Jõhvi Airport. All crew members and passengers were able to evacuate the cabin and were uninjured while the hijacker was killed when the airplane was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Hijacked and set on fire.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104A near Chita: 64 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1958 at 2220 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-104

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L5442

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Khabarovsk – Irkutsk

MSN:

7 35 03 03

YOM:

Flight number:

SU004

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1041

Aircraft flight cycles:

401

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Khabarovsk Airport with a delay of 3 hours and 35 minutes due to poor weather conditions. En route, while cruising at an assigned altitude of 11,000 meters, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the captain decided to gain height to avoid the low pressure area. Shortly later, while at an altitude of 12,000 meters, the airplane went out of control and nosed down. It dove into the ground and crashed by an angle of 60° nose down in a field located near Chita. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 64 occupants were killed. Debris were scattered on a distance of about 450 meters.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of a loss of controllability due to atmospheric turbulences while cruising at an altitude of 12,000 meters which is in excess with the flying limitations and certification of the aircraft. Due to marginal weather conditions, the flight should be cancelled or postponed. The following factors contributed to the accident:
- Poor flight preparation on part of the ground operations, flying crew and flight director,
- The flight was delayed of 3 hours and 35 minutes, causing the aircraft to fly in worse weather conditions than predicted,
- Inadequate weather forecast,
- Poor weather conditions with atmospheric turbulences,
- Lack of clear instructions concerning the aircraft operation limitations (ceiling altitude),
- Violation of standard operating procedures.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Inta: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3803

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Pelengachi – Kazhim

MSN:

1 55 473 11

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

At Pelengachi Airport, the captain was told that weather conditions were poor all along the route and that operations were suspended. Despite the situation, he took the decision to leave Pelengachi bound to Kazhim with three other crew members. After takeoff, the single engine airplane climbed to an altitude of 200-300 meters before it disappeared in the clouds. Twenty-three minutes later, while cruising in low visibility, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and disintegrated on impact. All four crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Wrong decision on part of the captain to perform the flight despite poor weather conditions. Lack of operations supervision on part of the authority was also reported. It is believed the captain was tired at the time of the accident due to insufficient rest time. Also, he was apparently intoxicated, which contributed to the accident.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T in Byelaya Noch: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1958 at 0400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L5643

Flight Phase:

Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Seymchan - Byelaya Noch - Seymchan

MSN:

1 54 473 11

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft left Seymchan at 0305LT on a geological survey flight in the region of the Byelaya Noch and Popovka Rivers. After few maneuvers at an altitude of 760 meters and at a speed of 250 km/h, the crew reduced his speed down to 80 km/h while approaching a mountain (40° slope). The airplane struck the ground with its tail wheel, causing the airplane to drift down and struck the mountain. The pilot made a turn to the left to bring the aircraft back in the direction of the descent to increase the speed but the airplane bounced three times. During the third impact, it came to rest in flames and both mechanic and navigator were ejected from the cockpit and killed instantly. All four occupants were slightly injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The accident resulted from poor decisions on the part of the pilot-in-command who, by negligence and lack of discipline, engaged the aircraft in hazardous maneuvers near a mountainous area.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Magadan: 24 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1958 at 1150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1364

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Okhotsk – Magadan

MSN:

30 082

YOM:

1947

Flight number:

SU105

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

11103

Circumstances:

While descending to Magadan Airport on a flight from Okhotsk, weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds, rain falls and a visibility of about four km. On approach, the airplane struck pine trees and crashed in a wooded area located 16,5 km south of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all 24 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The crew started the descent without knowing his real position and altitude. Due to clouds, the pilot failed to locate the ground nor the airport.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104 at Savasleyka AFB

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-104

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L5414

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Novosibirsk - Sverdlovsk - Moscow

MSN:

6 35 01 01

YOM:

1956

Location:

Savasleyka AFB

Nizhny Novgorod oblast

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training flight from Novosibirsk to Moscow-Vnukovo Airport with an intermediate stop at Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport. While approaching Moscow, the crew informed ATC that the fuel reserves were insufficient and requested the permission to divert to the Dyagilevo Airbase located 180 km southeast of Moscow. Without checking local conditions, the flight director authorized the crew to divert to Dyagilevo. Upon arrival, the pilot was forced to make a go around due to poor weather conditions and it was then decided to divert to the Savasleyka Airbase located 200 km northeast of Dyagilevo. On final approach to Savasleyka Airfield, both engines stopped simultaneously. The airplane stalled, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located 1,500 meters short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight crew members were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Birobidzhan: 27 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1957 at 1235 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1309

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Evreyskaya oblast (Jewish Autonomous oblast)

Schedule:

Khabarovsk – Magdagachi – Irkutsk – Moscow

MSN:

30 015

YOM:

1947

Flight number:

SU010

Location:

Birobidzhan

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

10436

Circumstances:

While parked at Khabarovsk Airport, the aircraft encountered gusty winds up to 86 km/h. Strong winds were still gusting during taxiing and takeoff. At 1158LT, the crew left Khabarovsk Airport bound for Magdagachi. At 1235LT, while cruising at an altitude of 2,100 meters, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed on the northwestern slope of Mt Poktoi located about 30 km west of Birobidzhan. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft was found. The wreckage was located in June 1958 on a 45° slope terrain. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of the failure of the rudder that detached in flight following strong winds encountered on ground while parked at Khabarovsk Airport.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Helsinki

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1657

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors: