Date & Time: Aug 20, 1951 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-N566
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1 09 473 01
YOM:
1951
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
400
Circumstances:
After takeoff from an area located along the Lena River, in the region of Yakutsk, while climbing to a height of 50-60 meters, the single engine aircraft banked left to 65° and nosed down to 25° then plunged into the Lena River about 200 meters offshore. All four crew members were able to evacuate the cabin but only three reached the shore as the flight engineer was drowned.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by locked ailerons. The crew failed to prepare the flight properly and started the takeoff procedure with locked ailerons.