Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Luanda

Date & Time: May 11, 1998
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-12973
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cabinda - Luanda
MSN:
9 3 465 05
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Cabinda to Luanda, carrying a load of 10 tons of various goods and seven crew members. On approach, at a distance of 1,850 metres from the runway threshold, the aircraft was about 13 metres above the glide so the crew increased the rate of descent by 6,6 metres per second, causing the aircraft to descend below the glide at a distance of 1,350 metres from the runway threshold. The aircraft was stabilized at a height of 12 metres at a distance of 290 metres from the runway threshold when it encountered strong winds. The aircraft nosed down while its speed dropped from 260 to 248 km/h and struck the ground short of runway threshold with a positive acceleration of 3,45 g. Upon impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All seven crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Lajes: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1998 at 2217 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-SFG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Lisbon – Ponta Delgada – Lajes – Lisbon
MSN:
3 3 416 05
YOM:
1963
Flight number:
LXR513
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
11731
Captain / Total hours on type:
3104.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5080
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1772
Aircraft flight hours:
12492
Aircraft flight cycles:
7005
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing a mail flight from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada and Lajes and back to Lisbon. On the last leg from Lajes to Lisbon, the cargo consisted of 1,693,5 kg of cargo and mail. Shortly after takeoff from runway 33, while in initial climb, the engine n°3 failed and its propeller autofeathered. Six seconds later, the engine n°4 failed as well. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in hilly terrain not far from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The following factors were identified:
- Engines n°3 and 4 stoppage at takeoff due to incorrect selection of the Fuel System,
- Interruption of the checklist sequence in the attempt to transfer fuel from the lower tanks to the wings, which may have contributed to the incorrect selection of the Fuel System,
- The cargo was not secured may have contributed to the deterioration of the stability and controllability of the aircraft,
- The impossibility to retract the landing gear, in time, which contributed to the decrease of the aircraft performance.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Naryan-Mar: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1997 at 1657 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-12105
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
5 3 434 04
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
A Mil Mi-8 registered RA-24247 just landed at Naryan-Mar Airport after completing a local flight with eight passengers and three crew members on board. Its crew was instructed to vacate via taxiway 4. Following an uneventful flight, the crew of the Antonov AN-12 was cleared to land on the same runway two minutes later. After touchdown, the aircraft collided with the helicopter. Both aircrafts were destroyed and while all nine people on board the Antonov were injured, among the 11 people on board the helicopter, eight were killed and three were injured. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced to 500 metres.
Probable cause:
The airport of Naryan-Mar is controlled by both civil and military services. The helicopter has been cleared to land by civil ATC and less than two minutes later, the aircraft was cleared by military ATC to land on the same runway. A lack of coordination between both ATC services was identified as the separation between both landings was insufficient. Nevertheless, it was also reported that the crew of the Antonov failed to follow ATC message after the controller in the tower instructed the crew to initiate a go-around procedure. The crew misinterpreted this order thinking ATC was referring to the lack of visibility and not to the presence of another aircraft on the runway.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Bryansk

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-11327
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Istanbul - Bryansk
MSN:
1400104
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Istanbul to Bryansk, carrying one passenger, eight crew members and a load of various goods. On approach to Bryansk Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with fog. The horizontal visibility was estimated to be 450 metres, the vertical visibility 80 metres with a RVR of 1,000 metres. On final approach, the pilot-in-command was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway so he decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, the crew attempted a second approach in similar weather conditions. Nevertheless, the crew continued the approach when the aircraft landed hard. Out of control, it veered off runway and came to rest. All nine occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The crew was tired following an over 20 hours duty period without any rest time,
- The crew decided to leave Istanbul without any rest time period,
- Information transmitted to the crew concerning weather forecast for Bryansk Airport were inaccurate,
- The crew decided to continue the approach and to descent below the MDA without any visual contact with the runway lights until the aircraft impacted the ground.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Verkhnevilyuisk

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1997 at 1132 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-11122
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Novosibirsk - Verkhnevilyuisk
MSN:
02 348 104
YOM:
1972
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing at Verkhnevilyuisk, the aircraft touched down late on an unpaved runway, bounced twice, landed firmly 777 metres past the runway threshold. Unable to stop within the remaining distance (runway is 1,800 metres long), it overran and collided with obstacles. All five crew escaped unhurt while one passenger was injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the total weight of the aircraft was 12,5 tons above max landing weight, which affected the landing capabilities.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Lucapa: 15 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-11531
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luanda – Lucapa
MSN:
6 34 45 06
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
On final approach to Lucapa in heavy fog, the captain was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway and decided to make a go-around. A second approach was abandoned few minutes later. During a third attempt to land, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the four engine aircraft hit obstacles some 200 metres to the right of the runway, crashed and burst into flames. All 15 occupants were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12RR in Andreapol: 17 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1996
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
21 red
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saint-Petersburg – Andreapol – Krasnodar
MSN:
3 34 14 04
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from St Petersburg-Levashovo to Krasnodar with an intermediate stop in Andreapol, carrying 11 passengers, six crew members and a load of construction materials and the personal car of General Sergei Seleznyov who was building a private cottage in the region of Krasnodar. During initial climb, the aircraft became unstable and started to pitch up and down. When the crew retracted the flaps, the aircraft nosed down, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a wooded area located some 8 km from the airport. All 17 occupants were killed, among them the General and his wife.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft weight was 1,5 ton above MTOW at the time of the accident. Also, it was reported that wings surfaces were contaminated with frost and snow, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Nizhnevartovsk

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1996
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-11851
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4 020 03
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach, the aircraft lost height and struck the ground short of runway threshold. The undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft bounced before coming to rest few dozen metres further. All 15 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was nine tons above the maximum landing weight.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Lucapa: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1996
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-11101
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Luanda - Lucapa
MSN:
01 347 703
YOM:
1971
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Luanda to Lucapa on behalf of Hellier International Ltd, carrying 13 passengers, six crew members and a load of 12,6 tons of fish. After touchdown by night at Lucapa Airport, the crew started the braking procedure when the runway light system failed. The crew lost control of the airplane that overran and came to rest against a house located 60 metres further. Six passengers trapped in the cargo hold were killed as well as one people in the house.
Probable cause:
It was reported that the runway light system at Lucapa Airport was functioning intermittently. Also, the airport was closed to traffic at night.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP near Lukapa: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1996 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ER-ACE
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luanda - Lukapa
MSN:
40 28 12
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
On approach to Lukapa Airport by night, at an altitude of about 1,800 metres, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located 16 km from the airport. All nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined but the Angolan Government reported that the aircraft may have been shot down by a surface-to-air missile fired by UNITA rebels.