Crash of an Antonov AN-12 near Marneuli: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Krymsk – Marneuli
Location:
Marneuli
Kvemo Kartli
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
On the leg from Krymsk to Marneuli of a round flight from Marneuli, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path to the right while approaching Marneuli by night. Crashed on the top of a mountain (1,150 metres high) located 41 km northwest of Marneuli Airfield, west of Tbilisi. All 7 crew and the sole passenger were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-32 in Kunduz: 16 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-32
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Kunduz
Kunduz
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft was shot down by a Stinger missile and crashed near Kunduz, killing all 16 occupants.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Stinger missile.

Crash of an IAI Arava 201 in La Carlota: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1988
Type of aircraft:
IAI Arava 201
Operator:
Registration:
GN-7952
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
MSN:
049
YOM:
1978
Location:
La Carlota-General Francisco de Miranda AFB (Caracas)
Caracas Federal District
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from La Carlota-General Francisco de Miranda AFB, the airplane lots height and crashed on a textile mill, bursting into flames. All three crew members as well as one people on the ground were killed.

Crash of a Douglas AC-47B in Colombia: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1988 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-1650
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Villavicencio – Neiva
MSN:
14056/25501
YOM:
1944
Location:
Colombia
All Colombia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while on a flight from Villavicencio to Neiva. All eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Bahawalpur: 30 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1988 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
23494
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bahawalpur - Islamabad
MSN:
3708
YOM:
1962
Location:
Bahawalpur
Punjab (پنجاب)
Country:
Pakistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Bahawalpur Airport, while in initial climb, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed 7 km from the airport. All 30 occupants were killed, among them Muhammad Zia Ul-Haq, President of the Republic of Pakistan, chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Akhtar Abdur Rahman, Brigadier Siddique Salik, several high ranking officers of the Pakistan Army and also the American Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel. They were returning to Islamabad following a US M1 Abrams tank demonstration in Bahawalpur.
Probable cause:
Due to the presence of officials on board, it was believed that the accident was the consequence of sabotage but this could not be proven. About 20 years later, in 2008, the British newspaper 'The Times' reported that, back in 1988, an analysis conducted by a US laboratory found 'extensive contamination' by brass and aluminium particles in the elevator booster package. This may have caused sluggish controls leading to overcontrol. This in turn may have led to the pilots losing control at low altitude soon after takeoff. Nevertheless, the exact cause of the accident remains unclear.

Crash of an Antonov AN-32 in Kunduz: 39 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-32
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kabul - Kunduz
Location:
Kunduz
Kunduz
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
39
Circumstances:
While approaching Kunduz Airport, the aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed few km from the airfield. All 39 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 off Yeysk: 25 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bataysk - Yeysk
Location:
Yeysk
Krasnodar Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
45
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
While descending to Yeysk Airport, the crew proceeded to a fuel transfer from the auxiliary tanks to the main central tank. Shortly later, all four engines stopped almost simultaneously. The aircraft lost height and crashed in the Azov Sea fe km off Yeysk Airport. 25 occupants were killed and 25 others were rescued.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the main central tank had not been drained or cleaned since a long time and a large quantity of water was still present. When the fuel was transferred from the auxiliary tanks to the main central tank, it mixed with water that contaminated the fuel lines, causing all four engines to fail.

Crash of a Rockwell CT-39E Sabreliner off Spratly Islands

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell T-39 Sabreliner
Operator:
Registration:
158381
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Singapore – Subic Bay
MSN:
282-93
YOM:
1968
Location:
Spratly Islands
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Singapore to Subic Bay, the crew encountered technical problems with the navigation system. Eventually, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft in the South China Sea off the Spratly Island. The crew found refuge in a dinghy and was rescued few hours later by the crew of a Vietnamese ship. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Failure of the navigation system for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Transall C-160D in Bordeaux: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Transall C-160
Operator:
Registration:
50+80
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Stuttgart - Bordeaux
MSN:
D117
YOM:
1971
Location:
Bordeaux-Mérignac
Gironde
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On approach to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport following an uneventful flight from Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport, one of the engine failed. The aircraft lost height, struck power cables and crashed in a wooded area located in Eysines, few km short of runway 23 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.
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