Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Kandahar: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Kandahar
Kandahar
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight, carrying six crew members and a load of ammunition. On approach to Kandahar Airport, the aircraft was hit by small-arms fire. The crew was able to continue the approach and after landing, the aircraft veered off runway, collided with obstacles and caught fire. All six crew members managed to escape while 14 soldiers who tried to extinguish the fire (not knowing of the nature of the cargo) were killed when the ammunition exploded.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Kandahar: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kandahar – Shindand
Location:
Kandahar
Kandahar
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Kandahar Airport, while climbing, the four engine aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed 22 km from the airfield, bursting into flames. All 14 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of an Avro 748-314-2A-LFD in Mbeya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
JW9009
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1752
YOM:
1977
Location:
Mbeya
Mbeya Region
Country:
Tanzania
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Mbeya Airport, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height. It struck trees located just past the runway end, stalled and crashed. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Akhtubinsk: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-26
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Akhtubinsk
Astrakhan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While approaching Akhtubinsk Airport, the pilot-in-command initiated a go-around for unknown reasons. After passing over the airport, the crew was instructed by ATC to make a turn to the right before joining the downwind circuit. While cruising at a relative low altitude south of the airport, the aircraft was shot down by an air-air missile fired from a Soviet Air Force MiG-23. Out of control, the airplane crashed south of the airfield, killing all eight occupants.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the MiG-23 pilot was completing an exercise south of the Akhtubinsk Airport and was supposed to use an helicopter as target. ATC at Akhtubinsk Airport transmitted wrong instructions to the AN-26 crew, and asked the pilot to make a right turn to the south of the airport, causing the aircraft to fly in a military area. A lack of coordination between civil and military personnel was considered as contributing factor as well as the fact that both AN-26 and MiG-23 crews were using different frequencies.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 near Zolochiv: 15 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1985 at 1213 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-26
Operator:
Registration:
101 red
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lviv - Moscow
MSN:
9506
YOM:
1980
Flight number:
CCCP-26492
Location:
Zolochiv
Lviv Oblast
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Aircraft flight hours:
1756
Aircraft flight cycles:
2346
Circumstances:
The Antonov AN-26 departed Lviv-Sknyliv Airport at 1202LT and was climbing to 3,900 meters. En route to Moscow, it was carrying 15 people, most of them officers from the Carpathian Military contingent. While cruising in clouds at an altitude of 3,900 meters, the AN-26 collided with an Aeroflot Tupolev TU-134 registered CCCP-65856 that was descending to Lviv Airport on a flight from Tallinn with 79 people on board. Following the collision, both aircraft entered a dive and crashed in an open field located near the city of Zolochiv, about 60 km east of Lviv. Both aircraft were totally destroyed and all 94 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a poor radar coverage by ATC who failed to properly coordinate control and assistance to both planes. ATC in charge of the sector where the collision occurred cleared the crew of the TU-134 to continue to descend when he actually had no idea of the exact position of both planes. This caused the Tupolev to descend too low and to cut the Antonov trajectory. The supervisor in charge of the sector was also blamed insofar he failed to pay sufficient attention to the operations and was unable to identify in time a possible conflict and thus, was unable to initiate any corrective action and to assist his colleague.

Crash of a Rockwell CT-39A-1-NO Sabreliner in Wilkes Barre: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1985 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell T-39 Sabreliner
Operator:
Registration:
62-4496
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
276-49
YOM:
1962
Location:
Wilkes-Barre
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
After landing at Wilkes-Barre Airport, the twin engine airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and went down a 125 feet embankment before coming to rest in flames. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-5 Buffalo in Akobo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1985
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-5 Buffalo
Operator:
Registration:
833
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Akobo - Khartoum
MSN:
87
YOM:
1978
Location:
Akobo
Jonglei (جونقلي)
Country:
South Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed after takeoff from Akbo Airport for unknown reasons. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3F Orion in Iran

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
5-8702
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
185-6002
YOM:
1968
Location:
Iran
All Iran
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching an airport somewhere in Iran. Occupant fate unknown. The accident occurred somewhere in February 1985 (exact date unknown).

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules off Trujillo: 21 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1985 at 0935 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
56-0501
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Howard – Trujillo – Comayagua
MSN:
3109
YOM:
1957
Location:
Trujillo
Colón
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Howard Airbase in Panama, the crew started the approach to Trujillo Airport in marginal weather conditions. While completing a left turn at low height with gear and flaps retracted, the aircraft struck the water surface with its left wingtip. Out of control, it crashed in the sea about 13 km from the airport. All 21 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was estimated to be 2,500 meters in haze with a 1,500 feet ceiling and a northerly wind gusting to 25 knots.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26RT in Jabal-os-Sarāj: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-26
Operator:
Registration:
05
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Jabal-os-Sarāj
Parwan
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While descending to Bagram AFB, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located near Jabal-os-Sarāj, about 20 km north of the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot-in-command adopted an excessive rate of descent at an excessive speed, causing the aircraft to partially disintegrate in the air due to aerodynamic forces that exceeded the design and certification of the aircraft.
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