Date & Time: Aug 7, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1828
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Irkutsk – Magdagachi – Khabarovsk
MSN:
9 301 34 15
YOM:
24
Flight number:
SU554A
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
8489
Circumstances:
The crew started the descent to Magdagachi Airport in marginal weather conditions: broken at 600 meters, few clouds at 330 meters, rain showers and 3 km visibility. The captain descended successively to 700, 400 and 100 meters then adopted a high rate of descent of 10-11 meters per second. The copilot suggested to abandon the landing for a go around procedure but the captain continued the approach when the airplane struck approach lights and crashed short of runway threshold. The flight engineer was killed while all other occupants were injured, the copilot seriously.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach techniques on part of the captain who demonstrated a lack of discipline.