Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Omsk - Gorki - Liepaja

MSN:

48530

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

5838

Aircraft flight cycles:

3894

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Omsk on a cargo flight to Liepaja with an intermediate stop in Gorki, carrying a crew of five and a load of eight tons of radio station's components. The aircraft, not configured for cargo with no cargo door and no cargo compartment, was loaded with light components in the rear part of the cabin and heavy parts in the front of the cabin. There were no passengers on board. The crew initiated the descent to Liepaja by night and poor weather conditions with a limited visibility to 900 meters (below airport minima) with mixed rain and snow falls. On approach, at an altitude of 310 meters and at a speed of 265 km/h, flaps were lowered and the aircraft became unstable on its roll and pitch axis. At an altitude of 180 meters, the autopilot was disconnected then the aircraft deviated to the right of the approach path. While trying to establish a visual contact with the runway, the pilot-in-command initiated a slight turn to the left when the airplane adopted an excessive rate of descent of 8 meters per second until it struck tree tops located 1,690 meters short of runway threshold. The airplane stalled then struck the embankment of a railroad and eventually crashed in flames in a snow covered field located 155 meters to the right of the extended runway centerline. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. A crew member was seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew decided to continue the approach in poor weather conditions with a visibility below airport minimums and an unstable aircraft. While trying to establish a visual contact with the ground, the crew let the airplane descending with an excessive rate of eight meters per second and failed to take appropriate actions to initiate a go-around maneuver. It was also determined that the flight was poorly planned and prepared by the crew and the operator. The airplane was not suitable for such cargo operation, the cargo has not been weighed prior to the flight and no weight and balance documentation was issued. The total weight of the aircraft was 752 kg above the maximum allowed weight and the CofG was too far forward, out of the enveloppe, which contributed to an unstable aircraft on final approach.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40K in Chardzhou

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1979

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87930

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lebap Province (Lebap welaýaty)

Schedule:

Ashkhabad - Chardzhou

MSN:

9 74 01 56

YOM:

1977

Location:

Chardzhou

Country:

Turkmenistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Chardzhou Airport, at an altitude of 30-40 meters, the airplane banked left then lost height and crashed onto several datchas located in the approach path. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair but all 35 occupants survived. The flight engineer was injured. There were no injuries on the ground.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control on short final was the consequence of wake turbulences caused by a Mil-Mi 6 helicopter that was preceding the Yak-40. Investigations revealed that the controller in charge of approaches failed to respect the minimum separation between the helicopter and the Yak-40. Poor organization of ATC in Turkmenistan was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Moscow: 59 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1979 at 1948 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-104

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-42444

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moscow - Odessa

MSN:

9 2 10 01

YOM:

1959

Flight number:

SU1691

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

114

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total hours on type:

32.00

Aircraft flight hours:

24356

Aircraft flight cycles:

14118

Circumstances:

Five seconds after takeoff from runway 01 at Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, while in initial climb, a fire alarm activated in the cockpit panel, informing the crew about a fire in the left engine. The crew declared an emergency, continued to climb and was cleared to return. Following several turns, the crew started an approach to runway 01 by night and marginal weather conditions. On final, the airplane descended below the MDA until it struck the ground at a speed of 350 km/h and crashed in flames in a snow covered field located along a wooded area, 1,548 meters short of runway 01. 58 passengers and a stewardess were killed while 61 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the fire alarm that activated in the cockpit was false and not related to an engine fire. Analysis revealed that the temperature of the left engine compartment increased to 253° C due to the disconnection of a pipe coupled to the anti-icing system. The accident was the consequence of the combination of several wrong decisions on part of the flying crew and the following factors:
- The approach was completed by night and icing conditions in a single engine configuration,
- The total weight of the aircraft was 10,201 kg above the maximum weight allowed for landing,
- The approach was completed with a tailwind component,
- Excessive approach speed,
- Premature descent resulting in a collision with ground after passing MDA,
- Lack of crew interaction and coordination,
- The navigator failed to inform the captain about the decision height fixed at 120 meters,
- The approach was completed with the GPWS deactivated,
- The copilot failed to monitor the instruments properly, which contributed to the deviation of the airplane to the right during the last sequence until it lost altitude and impacted the ground.

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

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1979 at 1231 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-07837

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Jalal-Abad – Komsomol

MSN:

1G169-52

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2002

Aircraft flight cycles:

6845

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a positioning flight from Jalal-Abad to the "Komsomol" Airstrip in the Bazar-Kurgan district of the Osh region. nine minutes after takeoff, he encountered below-minima weather conditions (low clouds and fog) over the Kara-Kiyakyr Mountain Range. The decision to return was taken too late so the aircraft entered a layer of fog and crashed at a height of 970 metres into the slope of a mountain (1,163 metres high) located west of Suzak (at N40°53' E72°51', some 10.5 km southwest of Jalal-Abad Airport). One of the two pilots and the sole passenger (an aircraft mechanic) were killed and the sole survivor was injured.

Probable cause:

Decision of the captain to continue the flight in below-minima weather conditions and his decision to return was too late. It was also reported that ATC failed to inform the crew about the minimum safe altitude in the area and the fact that weather conditions deteriorated en route. Finally, weather bulletin published by meteorologist were incomplete.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Innokentyevka

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1979

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-35138

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1G112-20

YOM:

1970

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed near Innokentyevka following an engine failure. Occupant fate unknown.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Tyumen

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1979

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-09601

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1G74-22

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

22 minutes after takeoff from Tyumen-Plekhanovo Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 200 meters, the engine lost power and the airplane lost height. The crew elected to restart the engine but without success. The airplane then struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. All four occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident was the internal destruction of the engine due to fatigue peeling of the nitrided layer and subsequent destruction of the teeth of the fixed gear wheel.

Crash of a Let L-410M in Belgorod: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1979 at 1115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Let L-410

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-67210

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Belgorod - Belgorod

MSN:

76 05 13

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

252

Aircraft flight cycles:

485

Circumstances:

The crew (one instructor and two student pilots) were completing a local training mission at Belgorod Airport. They departed Belgorod at 1020LT and completed several circuits over the region. While approaching the airport with the right engine out, the crew lost control of the airplane that entered a right turn then spiraled into the ground and crashed in a snow covered field located near the outer marker. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all three crew members were killed. Weather conditions were marginal at the time of the accident.

Probable cause:

Due to the extensive destruction of the aircraft, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, it is believed that the loss of control may have been caused by wrong informations provided by the horizons while on approach in poor weather conditions.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Minsk: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1979 at 1305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-46807

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dnipropetrovsk - Kiev - Minsk

MSN:

67302109

YOM:

1976

Flight number:

SU7502

Location:

Minsk-Loshitsa (Minsk-1)

City of Minsk

Country:

Belarus

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

23844

Aircraft flight cycles:

17627

Circumstances:

The approach to Minsk-1 Airport was initiated in poor weather conditions with low ceiling, limited visibility and icing conditions. On final, while in a slight nose down attitude, at a speed of 140 km/h, the airplane struck the ground and crashed in a snow covered field located 5,280 meters short of runway threshold. Three passengers were seriously injured while 11 other occupants were killed. Few hours later, two of the three survivors died from their injuries. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a premature deactivation of the deicing systems while completing an approach in icing conditions with flaps deployed at 38°. This caused the aircraft to be unstable on its longitudinal axis and to come uncontrollable. Various flight tests to determine the longitudinal stability and controllability characteristics during a flight in icing conditions had not been carried out.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14FKM in Molodezhnaya: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1979 at 1521 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-04193

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site: