Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87485

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9 44 13 38

YOM:

1974

Location:

Dnipropetrovsk

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Country:

Ukraine

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Dnepropetrovsk Airport was completed in strong crosswinds. Following several errors on part of the crew on approach, the captain led the aircraft descending below the glide and failed to initiate a go-around. Upon touchdown, the left main gear collapsed and the left wing hit the ground. The aircraft veered off runway to the left and came to rest in flames. All 35 occupants were evacuated, among them 14 were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 near Shevshenko

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1982

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87902

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9 72 04 54

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Shevshenko Airport while on a positioning flight, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing as the airplane ran out of fuel. The aircraft belly landed in an open field located few km from the airport and came to rest. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The airplane ran out of fuel because the crew miscalculated the fuel quantity before departure. Also, he lost his orientation en route while cruising in poor weather conditions consisting of snow falls and strong winds.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Zheleznogorsk: 33 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1981 at 1213 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87455

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Irkutsk - Zheleznogorsk

MSN:

9 43 12 36

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

SU652

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

10455

Aircraft flight cycles:

9784

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Irkutsk-Magan Airport, the crew started the descent to Zheleznogorsk-Ilimskiy Airport in relative good weather conditions with a horizontal visibility of 20 km. On final, at an altitude of 400 meters, the three engine airplane collided with a Soviet Air Force Mil Mi-8 helicopter registered CCCP-22268. Inbound from Bratsk, the helicopter was completing a training mission with seven people on board. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded and hilly terrain located about 11 km from the airport, bursting into flames. All 40 occupants in both aircraft were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the collision was the consequence of a poor ATC surveillance, causing both aircraft to initiate an approach without ensuring that they each maintained a minimum separation in accordance with published procedures. This situation allowed the helicopter to cut off the approach path of the aircraft. The lack of radio communications between the three parties concerned remained a contributing factor.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Zeya: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1981 at 2031 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87346

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Irkutsk - Chita - Zeya - Blagoveshchensk

MSN:

9 51 15 39

YOM:

1975

Flight number:

SU674

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The three engine airplane was completing flight SU674 from Irkutsk to Blagoveshchensk with intermediate stops in Chita and Zeya. While approaching Zeya Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with limited visibility (less than 2 km). On final, the GPWS warning sounded in the cockpit while the aircraft was descending below the minimum descent altitude. The pilot-in-command decided to continue the approach when the airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located 350 meters short of runway threshold and 125 meters to the right of the extended centerline, bursting into flames. Two crew members and one passengers were killed while 26 other occupants were injured. Five passengers escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew decided to continue the approach after passing the minimum descent altitude in below minimum visibility conditions. The crew failed to respond to the GPWS warning sound and to initiate a go-around despite the fact they did not establish a visual contact with the ground and runway. It was reported that weather conditions were worse than forecast in the bulletin transmitted to the crew and there were local patches of fog in the last segment of the approach path which was considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Arkhangelsk

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87793

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kotlas – Arkhangelsk

MSN:

9 11 06 15

YOM:

1971

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Kotlas, the crew started the descent to Arkhangelsk-Talagi Airport. On approach at an altitude of 600 meters, the crew was instructed by ATC to hurry the last and third turn. This caused hasty actions of the crew. The captain asked the flight engineer to reduce power on all three engine to idle but once the altitude of 580 meters was reached on descent, the flight engineer mistakenly shut down all three engines. The pilot tried to restart them but without success because the approach speed was too low. The captain attempted an emergency landing on a road. Upon touchdown, the airplane collided with the support of a power transmission tower and came to rest. All 27 occupants were rescued, among them 23 were injured.

Probable cause:

Erroneous actions on part of the flight engineer who put the power control levers in the 'stop' position instead of the 'idle' position. The lack of proper control on part of the both pilot and copilot was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 near Dushanbe: 29 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1980 at 1344 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87689

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Districts of Republican Subordination

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Leninabad - Dushanbe

MSN:

9 91 04 03

YOM:

1969

Flight number:

SU088W

Location:

Dushanbe

Country:

Tajikistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The three engine aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path by 67 km while circumnavigating a thunderstorm over the mountains with neither crew nor ATC realizing the deviation. At this time, the radio compass did not work properly due to the interference caused by the proximity of the thunderstorm, and the wind component was different than forecast. When the crew reported overflying the outer marker, the aircraft was in fact still 43 km away from it. While descending in clouds, the aircraft crashed at a height of 2,840 metres into the slope of a mountain located 44 km northwest of Dushanbe Airport. All 29 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

According to officials, the pilots have been hampered in their actions by the lack of visibility caused by poor weather conditions that remains a contributing factor. It is believed that the initial information provided by pilots to air traffic controllers were false and could have misled them. However, the assistance provided by air traffic controllers was insufficient and they did not proceed to any fix point control that should let them identifying the wrong position of the aircraft and thus informing the crew accordingly.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Matala: 29 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1980 at 1532 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

D2-TYC

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Jamba - Lubango

MSN:

9 72 17 53

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

17 minutes after its takeoff from Jamba Airport, while in cruising altitude, the three engine airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Zambian Shenyang J-6 fighter plane. Out of control, it entered a dive and crashed in a field located in Matala. All 29 occupants were killed. Angolan authorities confirmed the aircraft was shot down by mistake.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the pilot of a Zambian Shenyang J-6 fighter plane.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Baracoa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CU-T1219

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Havana - Baracoa

MSN:

9 84 09 59

YOM:

1978

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances upon landing at Baracoa Airport. A passenger was killed while other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Vologda: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1979 at 1841 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87454

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site: