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Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 near Shushenskoye

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1997 at 1320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-87552
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Norilsk – Podkamenaya Tunguska – Shushenskoye – Krasnoyarsk
MSN:
9 21 03 21
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
KI160
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Norilsk to Krasnoyarsk with intermediate stops in Podkamenaya Tunguska and Shushenskoye, carrying 23 passengers and 4 crew members on behalf of KrasAir (Krasnoyarskie Avialinii). While approaching Shushenskoye, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a visibility limited to 400 metres due to snow falls. In such conditions, the crew lost his orientation and was unable to locate the destination airport. The captain decided to attempt an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in the taiga about 18 km from the airport. All 27 occupants were rescued, among them one passenger was slightly injured. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The crew lost his orientation in bad weather conditions following navigation error and false calculation regarding the wind component. The lack of ATC assistance was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 near Vanavara: 28 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1994 at 1738 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-87468
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Krasnoyarsk - Tura
MSN:
9 44 13 37
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Aircraft flight hours:
22203
Aircraft flight cycles:
17220
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Krasnoyarsk, the crew was approaching Tura Airport when he encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility upon arrival. Unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, the crew decided to initiate a go-around and followed a holding pattern. Two other approaches were abandoned during the following minutes. Eventually, the crew decided to divert to Vanavara Airport which is located 450 km southeast of Tura. Following a total flight time of 3 hours and 45 minutes, while descending to Vanavara Airport, all three engines stopped simultaneously. The captain attempted an emergency landing in a cleared area when the aircraft struck trees at a speed of 235 km/h. Out of control, it crashed on the shore of the Chamba river, coming to rest upside down. The wreckage was found 41 km north-northwest of Vanavara and all 28 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that all three engine failed simultaneously due to a fuel exhaustion. Following a poor flight planning, the crew decided to chose Vanavara as the alternate airport (450 km from Tura) while the airport of Baykit was located 110 km from Tura and weather conditions were good at this time.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew incorrectly calculated the total amount of fuel necessary for the request flight and the alternate airport,
- The crew was unaware of the deterioration of the weather conditions in Tura after the ground personnel based at Tura Airport failed to conduct efficient observations and inform the crew accordingly,
- The deviation, allowed by crew during the first straight-in approach, which was caused, probably, by short-term de-energizing of the Outer Marker beacon and by incorrect determination by the crew of removal to VPP under these conditions,
- Failure of the crew to monitor the approach pattern parameters during the second and third approaches to Tura Airport in below minimums visibility,
- The crew started the descent to Vanavara Airport prematurely following a wrong flight altitude selection.