Republic of Dagestan

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ashgabad - Makhachkala - Rostov-on-Don

MSN:

9710952

YOM:

1977

Flight number:

156

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On October 25, after takeoff from Makhachkala Airport, en route to Rostov, a hijacker entered the cockpit and ordered the crew to return to Makhachkala. He later requested a ransom of 2 millions US$ and asked to be flown to Iran. Within the next two day, all passengers were released and the hijacker remained in the airplane with both pilots. In the morning of October 27, while the hijacker fall asleep, both pilots left the airplane and the police stormed the aircraft. The hijacker was able to detonate a home made explosive device in the cockpit and was killed. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Explosion of a home made explosive device.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Makhachkala: 51 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1991 at 1350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87526

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Elista - Makhachkala

MSN:

9 52 08 41

YOM:

1975

Flight number:

S-519

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The descent to Makhachkala was started in poor weather conditions. While over mountainous terrain, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when, at an altitude of 550 metres and at a speed of 366 km/h, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Kukurtbash (980 metres high) located 23 km from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 51 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was following a wrong approach path to Makhachkala-Uytash Airport following inaccurate ATC instructions. ATC in charge transmitted wrong instructions to the crew, causing the aircraft to be off course and below the minimum prescribed altitude. The crew was unable to see and avoid the mountain due to low clouds in the area and was unaware of his exact position. It was also reported that the crew allowed 47 passengers (39 adults and 8 children) to embark in Elista while 32 seats were available on board. This caused the aircraft to take off with a total weight of 260 kilos above MTOW.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Izberbach: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1982 at 1311 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-44952

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Makhatchkala – Derbent

MSN:

1G25-25

YOM:

1962

Flight number:

SU1525

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

14364

Aircraft flight cycles:

22387

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Makhatchkala at 1259LT on a cargo flight to Derbent with two pilots on board. While cruising along the west coast of the Caspian Sea at an altitude of about 400 meters, the crew encountered limited visibility due to low clouds when the airplane struck the slope of Mt Shcherabash (521 meters high) located near Izberbach. The wreckage was found at an altitude of 390 meters and both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident resulted from the crew's decision to follow an unauthorized route through reduced visibility due to the presence of low clouds.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T in Golotl

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-79968

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Landing (descent or approach)

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Golotl - Makhachkala

MSN:

1 172 473 16

YOM:

1962

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Golotl, en route to Makhachkala, the engine failed, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. There were no injuries while the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for undetermined reasons.

Crash of an Alekseev A-90 Orlyonok off Kaspiisk

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Alekseev A-90 Orlyonok

Operator:

TsKB po SPK

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Test

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

S-23

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Caspian Sea off Kaspiisk. The crew fate remains unknown as well as the exact date of the mishap, somewhere during 1975.

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

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-01579

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1G81-23

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a mission on behalf of the Makhachkalinski OAO. While cruising in below minima weather conditions, the single engine airplane struck a hill and crashed near Makhachkala. There were no casualties.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 on Mt Salatau: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1973 at 1021 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-01794

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Khasavyurt – Botlikh – Makhachkala

MSN:

1G107-41

YOM:

1968

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2646

Aircraft flight cycles:

4464

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Khasavyurt Airport at 0958LT on flight SU116 to Makhachkala with an intermediate stop in Botlikh. About 10 minutes later, while flying at an altitude of 1,300 - 1,500 meters, the airplane flew into clouds. Despite a limited visibility, the crew decided to continue, increased altitude and was able to distinguish the Ashu River, an affluent of the Sulak River. Nevertheless, few minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 2,400 meters and at a speed of 160 - 170 km/h, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Salatau (2,713 meters high) located 43 km southeast of Khasavyurt. Six passengers were injured while eight other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain. The crew decided to continue under VFR mode in clouds and failed to return to Khasavyurt Airport.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Magaramkent: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1970 at 0950 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-42651

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Akhty – Derbent – Makhachkala

MSN:

1G41-21

YOM:

1963

Flight number:

SU124

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

4882

Aircraft flight cycles:

8798

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Akhty Airport at 0932LT on a return flight to Makhachkala with an intermediate stop in Derbent. While cruising at an altitude of 1,800 meters, the weather conditions deteriorated with more and more clouds. As the aircraft was flying in the direction of the Mt Gestinkil (2,785 meters high), the captain decided to climb to and altitude of 2,150 meters when the airplane struck the 45° slope of a mountain located in the region of Magaramkent, south part of Dagestan. As the copilot was slightly injured, he walked away to find help. On scene, rescuers were able to evacuate four injured people while two passengers died from their injuries.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain caused by the fact that the crew continued under VFR mode in limited visibility due to clouds. Investigators reported that the airport authorities in Makhachkala and Akhty should not allow the crew to take off because of the deteriorating weather conditions, which remained a contributing factor.

Crash of an Avia 14P off Makhachkala: 17 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1969 at 1833 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avia 14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-52010

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type: