Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Mineralnye Vody: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1953 at 1745 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4890
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sverdlovsk – Kazan – Penza – Stalingrad – Mineralnye Vody
MSN:
184 361 06
YOM:
29
Flight number:
SU525
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
5130
Circumstances:
On the leg from Stalingrad to Mineralnye Vody, while cruising at an altitude of 2,700 meters, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls. On approach to Mineralnye Vody, the crew obtained the permission to land but the visibility was very low (about 30 meters) with snow falls when the aircraft hit the roof of a farm and crashed 226 meters farther in a snow covered field, about 17 km north of the airport. The captain was killed while seven other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The crew was approaching Mineralnye Vody Airport under VFR in IFR conditions.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Zyrianka

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1953 at 1410 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-H1014
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Magadan – Seymchan – Zyrianka – Ozhogino – Batagay
MSN:
184 303 08
YOM:
30
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1659
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Zyrianka Airport, while climbing to a height of about 20 meters, the left engine encountered problems and the crew tried to feather the propeller, without success. In such conditions, the pilot-in-command decided to attempt an emergency landing. At a speed of 140 km/h, the airplane hit trees and crashed in a wooded area located 600 meters past the runway end. The airplane was damaged beyond repair while all 16 occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
When the undercarriage were raised after liftoff, the left engine suffered technical issues and the crew was forced to feather the propeller, without success. The propeller was then windmilling, causing drag. In such conditions, the aircraft lost height and the pilot elected to make an emergency landing. It was reported that the board mechanic was unable to response immediately to the engine issue because he was focused on instruments check and especially the speed indicator, which was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Rushan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1953 at 0620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4027
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Khorugh – Stalinabad
MSN:
184 299 05
YOM:
1948
Flight number:
SU878
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
1477
Circumstances:
At 0613LT, while cruising at an altitude of 4,000 meters, the crew informed ATC he just passed over the city of Rushan eight minutes earlier. Shortly later, weather conditions deteriorated and the crew encountered clouds and low visibility. Now at an altitude of 4,800 meters, the aircraft lost height due to strong downdraft and hit the south slope of a mountain located near the Yauza Pass located about 15 km northwest of Rushan. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all seven occupants were killed. The wreckage was found two days later at an altitude of 4,800 meters, approx 100 meters below the summit.
Probable cause:
The aircraft lost height due to downdraft and at the time of the accident, it was off course because the captain decided to modify his route for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Barzas: 20 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1953 at 1950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4534
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Irkutsk – Krasnoyarsk – Novosibirsk
MSN:
184 290 05
YOM:
30
Flight number:
SU018
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Aircraft flight hours:
3882
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Krasnoyarsk Airport at 1755LT bound for Novosibirsk with an assigned altitude of 2,100 meters. At 1840LT, a second Lisunov LI-2T registered CCCP-A4031 left Novosibirsk Airport bound for Kemerovo with a crew of seven who were involved in an aerial photography mission. While approaching Kemerovo, the captain of the first LI-2 modified his route and flight level without prior permission and passed north of Kemerovo. In excellent weather conditions, while cruising at an altitude of 1,800 meters to a heading of 270° and facing the sun, the first LI-2 was hit on its right wing and right engine by the second LI-2 that was flying from the opposite. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located 16,5 km west of Barzas. Debris were found on a greater distance than 600 meters and all 27 occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot of the LI-2 registered CCCP-L4534 deliberately decided to modify his flight path and flight level without prior permission from ATC. Doing so, he flew into the flight path of the second aircraft that was flying to a heading of 90°. It was reported that the pilot at fault had been degraded to the co-pilot position in July 1952 due to lack of discipline and loss of direction. He had returned to his captain position last February despite serious shortcomings in piloting techniques. The low position of the sun was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2T near Barzas: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1953 at 1950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-A4031
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Novosibirsk - Kemerovo
MSN:
184 326 05
YOM:
30
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
1268
Circumstances:
A first Lisunov LI-2 left Krasnoyarsk Airport at 1755LT bound for Novosibirsk with an assigned altitude of 2,100 meters. At 1840LT, a second Lisunov LI-2T registered CCCP-A4031 left Novosibirsk Airport bound for Kemerovo with a crew of seven who were involved in an aerial photography mission. While approaching Kemerovo, the captain of the first LI-2 modified his route and flight level without prior permission and passed north of Kemerovo. In excellent weather conditions, while cruising at an altitude of 1,800 meters to a heading of 270° and facing the sun, the first LI-2 was hit on its right wing and right engine by the second LI-2 that was flying from the opposite. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located 16,5 km west of Barzas. Debris were found on a greater distance than 600 meters and all 27 occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot of the LI-2 registered CCCP-L4534 deliberately decided to modify his flight path and flight level without prior permission from ATC. Doing so, he flew into the flight path of the second aircraft that was flying to a heading of 90°. It was reported that the pilot at fault had been degraded to the co-pilot position in July 1952 due to lack of discipline and loss of direction. He had returned to his captain position last February despite serious shortcomings in piloting techniques. The low position of the sun was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Kazan: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1953 at 2037 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4582
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Leningrad – Moscow – Kazan – Sverdlovsk
MSN:
184 304 04
YOM:
1951
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
3705
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Leningrad to Sverdlovsk with intermediate stops in Moscow-Bykovo Airport and Kazan, with a load of six brass panels weighing 155 kilos each and a batch of capacitors. The descent to Kazan was started by night and poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls, reducing the visibility down to zero. The crew obtained the permission to descent to 1,800, 1,200 and 600 meters and was unable to locate the runway. Guided by ATC, the aircraft descended to the altitude of 150 meters when the aircraft hit with its left engine the empennage of an Aeroflot Ilyushin II-12. Registered CCCP-L1435, this second aircraft was performing the cargo flight number SU022 from Novosibirsk to Moscow with an intermediate stop in Kazan, carrying a crew of six and a load of wire coils, electric engines and radio components. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a snow covered field located three km southwest of the airport. Both aircraft were destroyed and all eleven crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision was the result of a series of omissions on part of the ATC based at Kazan Airport who failed to coordinate properly the radar coverage and failed to assist the crew adequately. The ATC in charge of the approach instructed the crew of the Lisunov to descend to 300 meters instead of the 900 meters as mentioned in the approach procedures. Due to poor weather conditions that reduced the visibility below minimas, it would be more appropriate that ATC postponed the departure of the Ilyushin II-12 or instructed the crew of the Lisunov LI-2 to follow a holding circuit or to divert to another airport. It was confirmed that both flying crew did not bear any responsibilities in this tragedy.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Batagay

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1953 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-ZH125
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Batagay – Ozhogino – Zyrianka
MSN:
184 321 10
YOM:
31
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1664
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Batagay Airport, while in initial climb, the crew encountered technical problems with both engines. Unable to gain sufficient height, the pilot-in-command attempted an emergency landing near a river located one km from the airfield. The airplane hit trees, crash landed, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a wooded area. While all five crew members were uninjured, the airplane was written off.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to prepare the flight properly and hurried the departure. With an OAT of -48° C., the oil was not sufficiently warm and this caused the engine to run improperly after rotation, with propellers blocked in an angle between 20° and 30°, causing drag and impeding the plane to gain sufficient altitude. In such conditions, an emergency landing was unavoidable.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2P in Kunmadaras AFB

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
306
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
184 363 06
YOM:
1951
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing, the aircraft was caught by strong crosswinds, veered off runway and came to rest. All three crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Strong crosswinds were blowing at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2T near Yeniseysk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1952 at 1752 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4661
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dudinka – Yeniseysk – Krasnoyarsk
MSN:
46 01
YOM:
11
Flight number:
SU688
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
2670
Circumstances:
The airplane left Yeniseysk Airport at 1655LT bound for Krasnoyarsk. Thirty minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 1,800 meters by night and in good weather conditions, the crew encountered technical problems with the left propeller that was over speeding. For unknown reason, the crew was unable to feather the propeller and took the decision to return to Yeniseysk. Due to drag, the aircraft lost height and thirty minutes later, at a speed of 130 km/h, it hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located 25 km south of Yeniseysk Airport. Three passengers were killed while 16 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pressure switch on the left-hand drive regulator in flight, which caused the propeller to overspeed. A contributory factor was the crew who failed to set the nominal mode of operation on the right engine immediately after the start of the descent, using full power on the right engine with delay, which caused the aircraft to lose altitude rapidly. Despite good visibility due to moonlight, the crew failed to attempt an emergency belly landing in a suitable terrain.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2P on Mt Vezhen: 30 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1952 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-TUE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Sofia – Gorna Oryahovitsa – Varna
MSN:
184 323 03
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Vezhen (2,198 meters high) located in the Stara Planina Mountain Range. The wreckage was found few hours later, about 20 meters below the summit, and all 30 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was nil due to heavy snow falls and the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain.
Probable cause:
After takeoff from Sofia Airport, the crew was supposed to follow a circuit of 15 km around the capital city to gain the minimum altitude of 1,500 meters before proceeding to the northeast. Apparently to save time and fuel, the crew decided to ignore this procedure and proceeded directly to the northeast after departure, causing the aircraft to approach the mountain range at an insufficient altitude. Low visibility caused by poor weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.