Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Yakutavia

Registration:

CCCP-87411

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)

MSN:

9 42 03 34

YOM:

1974

Location:

Neryungri

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Neryungri Airport, while climbing, the captain informed ATC about the failure of the engine n°3 that caught fire. He was cleared to return for an emergency landing and completed a turn and a 'normal' landing. All 28 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure and fire on engine n°3 for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Türkmenabat

Date & Time: May 13, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-88235

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lebap Province (Lebap welaýaty)

Schedule:

Ashgabat - Türkmenabat

MSN:

9 64 04 51

YOM:

1976

Flight number:

TUA308

Location:

Türkmenabat

Country:

Turkmenistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Türkmenabat Airport following an uneventful flight from Ashgabat, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, heavy rain falls and limited visibility. On short final, the crew lost visual contact with the runway for few seconds, causing the aircraft to deviate from the approach path to the right. The crew decided to continue when, at a height of 12 metres, the right wing struck a mast. The aircraft caught fire, turned to the right and crashed at a speed of 220 km/h, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found one km from the runway end. All 38 occupants evacuated safely, among them five passengers were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

The approach was completed in very bad weather conditions and a first approach was abandoned few minutes prior to the accident. During the second attempt to land, the crew lost visual contact with the runway for few seconds, causing the aircraft to deviate to the right of the approach path. The crew decided to continue the approach in such conditions rather than initiating a new go-around procedure.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Sisian

Date & Time: May 9, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87532

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Stepanakert – Erevan

MSN:

9 52 16 41

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Stepanakert on a charter flight to Yerevan, carrying 30 refugees and three crew members. While in cruising altitude over the Kalbajar district in south Armenia, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of an Azerbaijani Sukhoi Su-25. Two engines failed and smoke spread in the cabin. The crew initiated an emergency descent and divert to Sisian Airport. The aircraft landed on its belly, slid for few hundred metres then veered off runway and came to rest in flames. All 33 occupants evacuated safely, except both pilots who were slightly injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Attacked in flight by the pilot of an Azerbaijani Sukhoi Su-25.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Moscow

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1991

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87553

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9 21 04 21

YOM:

1972

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

For unknown reasons, the three engine aircraft landed hard on its nose, causing the nose gear to collapse. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The exact date of the mishap remains unknown, somewhere in 1991.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Velsk

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1991

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87521

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9 52 03 41

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew started the takeoff procedure in white conditions and blizzard. The pilot-in-command completed the rotation prematurely while the aircraft's speed was insufficient. At liftoff, the right wing stalled and struck the snow on the right side of the runway. The aircraft then continued for few dozen metres, struck a tree and an embankment before coming to rest, bursting into flames. Fire was quickly extinguished but the aircraft was written off. Eight passengers and three crew members were injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew initiated rotation prematurely while the aircraft's speed was insufficient. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 535 kilos above MTOW. Poor weather conditions were also a contributing factor.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Makhachkala: 51 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1991 at 1350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87526

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Elista - Makhachkala

MSN:

9 52 08 41

YOM:

1975

Flight number:

S-519

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The descent to Makhachkala was started in poor weather conditions. While over mountainous terrain, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when, at an altitude of 550 metres and at a speed of 366 km/h, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Kukurtbash (980 metres high) located 23 km from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 51 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was following a wrong approach path to Makhachkala-Uytash Airport following inaccurate ATC instructions. ATC in charge transmitted wrong instructions to the crew, causing the aircraft to be off course and below the minimum prescribed altitude. The crew was unable to see and avoid the mountain due to low clouds in the area and was unaware of his exact position. It was also reported that the crew allowed 47 passengers (39 adults and 8 children) to embark in Elista while 32 seats were available on board. This caused the aircraft to take off with a total weight of 260 kilos above MTOW.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40K in Dikson

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87394

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Krasnoyarsk - Dikson

MSN:

9 41 06 33

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Krasnoyarsk, the crew started the approach to Dikson by night and marginal weather conditions. On short final, the aircraft was too high and landed too far down the runway with a tailwind component and at an excessive speed. Unable to stop within the remaining distance available, the aircraft overran, went through an embankment at a speed of 115 km/h and eventually came to rest in a ravine. All 35 occupants were rescued, among them 8 were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Excessive speed upon landing,
- Tailwind component,
- Lack of visibility,
- Snow squalls.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40S2 in Santiago de Cuba: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1990 at 0158 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CU-T1202

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Camagüey – Santiago de Cuba

MSN:

9 63 14 49

YOM:

1976

Flight number:

CU2886

Location:

Santiago de Cuba

Country:

Cuba

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2997

Captain / Total hours on type:

2708.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

522

Copilot / Total hours on type:

289

Aircraft flight hours:

14068

Aircraft flight cycles:

14011

Circumstances:

The descent to Santiago de Cuba-Antonio Maceo Airport was started by night and poor weather conditions. As the crew was unable to locate the airport, he decided to abandon the approach and initiated a go-around. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land was also abandoned. During the third approach completed under VFR mode, the crew failed to realize he was not properly aligned when the aircraft struck at a speed of 280 km/h the top of a hill and crashed 4 km short of runway 27. Two crew members and 9 passengers were killed while 20 other occupants were rescued, among them 12 were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew decided to complete the third approach under VFR mode in adverse weather conditions (IMC). This caused the aircraft to deviate from the approach path and to descent below the minimum prescribed altitude. The wreckage was found one km to the right of the extended centerline.

Ground accident of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Pavlodar

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87451

Flight Phase:

Parking

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: