Date & Time:
Oct 20, 1963 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-04197
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Nagurskoye - Nagurskoye
MSN:
1470 013 26
YOM:
1957
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
8051
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Nagurskoye Airport, in the Franz-Josef Archipelago, at 0820LT with a crew of five and two hydrologists on board to perform an ice reconnaissance to allow the launch of the icebreaker 'Indigirka'. While flying at an altitude of 150 meters in a visibility less than one km, the aircraft struck the southwest slope of the Graham Bell Glacier, flew for 750 meters before crashing in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was below minima.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to follow the published procedure while cruising at an insufficient altitude in limited visibility (below minima). Due to a conception issue, the on-board weather radar failed to detect the mountain.
