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Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Mt Gora Ioanna: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1956 at 0040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L5033
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Lavrentiya – Uelkal – Anadyr
MSN:
184 356 09
YOM:
31
Location:
Mt Gora Ioanna
Chukotka okrug
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Aircraft flight hours:
5333
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Uelkal bound for Anadyr with seven passengers on board, a crew of five and 580 kg of various goods. While approaching Anadyr by night, the crew did not realized he was off course by eight km when, at an altitude of 720 meters, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Gora Ioanna (920 meters high) located about 35 km northeast of Anadyr. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated and the burnt wreckage was found four days later on a 50° slope. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 12 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the deviation. At the time of the accident, visibility was poor due to the night and clouds. The assumption that the aircraft was caught by downdraft was not ruled out.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 in Irkoutsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1956 at 1442 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L5658
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow – Sverdlovsk – Novosibirsk – Irkutsk
MSN:
1460 009 42
YOM:
2
Location:
Irkutsk-Intl
Irkutsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
29
Circumstances:
After being manufactured at Frunze, the aircraft was on a delivery flight from Moscow to Irkutsk with intermediate stops at Sverdlovsk and Novosibirsk. On final approach to Irkutsk-Intl Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane hit the ground 1,315 meters short of runway, bounced, struck a fence and eventually came to rest in a prairie located 550 meters short of runway threshold. The copilot was killed while four other occupants were slightly injured. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The flight engineer misinterpreted some instruments settings he failed to transmit to the flying crew in due time. Lack of coordination between pilots was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Sverdlovsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1956 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4872
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow – Gorky – Izhevsk – Sverdlovsk – Omsk
MSN:
184 355 07
YOM:
14
Flight number:
SU039
Location:
Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo
Sverdlovsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
8331
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Izhevsk Airport at 0220LT bound for Sverdlovsk and continued at an assigned altitude of 2,400 meters. On final approach to Koltsovo Airport, at a height of 250 meters, the right engine failed. The airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed. Both pilots were killed while all three other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine because it was connected to a empty fuel tank. Poor flight supervision on part of the flying crew and failure of the crew to switch the fuel selector on a suitable tank in due time.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Botyobiya: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1956 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-A2582
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Nyurba – Botyobiya – Muhtuya – Vitim – Kirensk – Krasnoyarsk – Novosibirsk
MSN:
1 02 473 01
YOM:
25
Location:
Botyobiya
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
2887
Circumstances:
The crew departed Nyurba Airport at 1010LT on a cargo flight to Novosibirsk with intermediate stops at Botyobiya, Muhtuya, Vitim, Kirensk and Krasnoyarsk, carrying a load of various goods for a total weight of 900 kilos on behalf of the 'Amakinskoy' geophysical mission. One hour and twenty minutes after his departure from Nyurba, the crew arrived at Botyobiya and the captain started a steep descent (5 to 7 meters per second) and retarded the throttle when the aircraft struck the ground few meters short of runway threshold, bounced and crashed in flames 84 meters farther. The flight mechanic was killed while both pilots were seriously injured (burns). The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Poor piloting techniques on part of the pilot-in-command. Lack of supervision by the local authorities was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Gizhiga: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1956 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3488
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Topographic
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Gizhiga - Gizhiga
MSN:
1 35 473 17
YOM:
1953
Location:
Gizhiga
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total hours on type:
50.00
Aircraft flight hours:
1475
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Gizhiga Airport following a geophysical survey flight. En route, the pilot entered a narrow valley and while the visibility was decreasing due to clouds, the pilot decided to make a 180 turn. At an altitude of 460 meters, he started a turn to the right when the airplane collided with the mountain and crashed in flames. The radio navigator was slightly injured while all three other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The pilot was inexperienced on such geophysical survey flight and accumulated 50 flying hours on this type of aircraft prior to the accident. Also, the crew was on duty since 11 hours while the max duty time allowed for this kind of mission is six hours. If the time of the accident is confirmed at 2115LT, this means it was dark as the sunset is at 2007LT at Gizhiga on August 20.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 on Mt Hadaraniya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1956 at 1241 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L5554
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Batagay – Deputatsky
MSN:
1 47 473 05
YOM:
2
Location:
Mt Hadaraniya
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
1355
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Batagay Airport at 1142LT bound for Deputatsky with a crew of three, three passengers and 543 kilos of various goods. En route, weather conditions worsened and the pilot climbed from 1,400 to 2,000 meters. As the visibility deteriorated, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight plan by 12 km and later, the pilot-in-command reduced his altitude to 1,300 meters when the airplane hit the slope of Mt Hadaraniya (1,468 meters high) located about 175 km northeast of Batagay. Two passengers were injured while four other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of wrong decisions on part of the crew who decided to modify his route without prior permission while he was flying in below minima weather conditions above a mountainous area. The following findings were reported:
- poor flight organization,
- poor analysis of the flight documentation,
- meteorological forecast that did not reflect the reality.

Ground accident of a Lisunov LI-2 in Voronezh

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1956 at 1321 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4869
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Mineralnye Vody – Rostov-on-Don – Voronezh – Moscow
MSN:
184 355 04
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
SU256
Location:
Voronezh
Voronezh oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
8146
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Voronezh Airport, the crew completed the braking procedure and vacated the runway for the taxiway when an explosion occurred in the right engine that caught fire. In the mean time, the right main gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest in flames ont its belly. All occupants (four crew members and an undetermined number of passengers) evacuated safely while the airplane was partially destroyed by fire and declared as written off.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the right main gear rolled on a location of the taxiway that 'housed' three TM-35 anti-tank mines from the Second World War that were buried at an estimated depth of 1, 6 to 1.8 meter. The pressure of the right main landing gear on the earth separating the taxiway surface and the mines triggered the detonator, followed by the explosion of three mines.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Berlin: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Moscow – Warsaw – Berlin
Location:
Berlin-Schönefeld
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Berlin-Schönefeld Airport, the airplane was too low and struck the top of the Bohnsdorf church, crashed and burst into flames three km from the airfield. Three crew members were killed and three others were injured. For undetermined reason, the crew was approaching the airport at an insufficient altitude.

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 Antonov AN-2 in Voyampolka: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3805
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ust-Khayryuzovo – Tiguil – Voyampolka – Palana
MSN:
1 55 473 14
YOM:
29
Location:
Voyampolka
Kamchatka Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
487
Circumstances:
The crew was performing the flight Ust-Khayryuzovo - Palana with intermediate stops at Tiguil and Voyampolka, carrying three passengers, two pilots and 954 kilos of deer meat carcasses. Shortly after takeoff from Voyampolka, the copilot told the captain they forgot to deliver a package so the pilot decided to return, completed a low pass at a height of 50 meters, opened his window and jettisoned the package when the aircraft banked left and lost altitude, causing the left wing to struck the ground. Out of control, the airplane cartwheeled and crashed upside down on an icy terrain. The airplane was destroyed and all five occupants were injured. One of the passenger died from his injuries few hours later.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a careless take of risk on part of the pilot who attempted to drop a package in flight while it would be more prudent to land. Doing so, he failed to pay attention to the conduct of the flight and the airplane attitude.
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