Aktyubinsk | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

After touchdown on a wet runway surface, the crew aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran at a speed of 80 knots, lost its right main gear and right engine before coming to rest few dozen metres further. All 88 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Aktyubinsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1981 at 1105 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-28849

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Aktyubinsk – Kenkiyak

MSN:

1G05-03

YOM:

1961

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

14157

Aircraft flight cycles:

26889

Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in a flight from Aktyubinsk to Kenkiyak, carrying 12 passengers and a crew of two on behalf of an oil exploration company. Rotation was completed at a speed of 80 km/h after a course of 180 meters. During initial climb, at a height of 5-7 meters, at a speed of 120 km/h, the airplane banked left then lost height and crashed 210 meters from the runway end, rolled for about 26 meters and came to rest. Two passengers were killed while 12 other occupants were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control during initial climb was the consequence of a weight & balance problem. Investigations revealed that the aircraft was generally used for support and other missions in the past and was flying with passengers for the first time. By a local manufacturing plant, several equipment such as radios and batteries were moved to the rear of the cabin, modifying the center of gravity that was out of the envelope, too far aft (4%). For unknown reasons, the aircraft technical documents were not modified accordingly and the crew was not aware of these modifications.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Uralsk

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1458

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Moscow – Uralsk – Aktyubinsk

MSN:

83 025 25

YOM:

1948

Flight number:

SU069

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Uralsk Airport, the captain decided to activate the afterburner without informing the rest of the crew. The takeoff roll was longer than expected and he completed the rotation after a run of 750 meters. After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 2-3 meters at a speed of 160 km/h, the captain prematurely ordered the retraction of the landing gear. In a certain confusion, the board mechanic shut down both engines instead of retracting the gears. The aircraft flew for about 605 meters then descended to the ground, rolled for 211 meters and struck a railway embankment and telephone pole. On impact, the airplane lost its undercarriage and slid for several yards before coming to rest. While all five crew members were injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew and lack of crew resources management and coordination. The captain took the decision to activate the afterburner system without any announcement to the rest of the crew and during the takeoff roll and not prior to takeoff which is against the published procedures. This caused a certain confusion in the cockpit.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Konstantinovski: 27 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1958 at 0318 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1692

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Frunze – Aktyubinsk – Uralsk – Moscow

MSN:

7 34 23 04

YOM:

Flight number:

SU164

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2564

Circumstances:

Enroute from Aktyubinsk to Uralsk, while cruising at an altitude of 1,500 meters in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft was hit by lightning. The crew lost control of the aircraft which dove into the ground and crashed in a field located 4 km southeast of Konstantinovski, in the region of Aktyubinsk. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 27 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was struck by a lightning in-flight. Discharge went through the port control cables of the left aileron located on the left wing, behind the rear spar of the center wing between the 4th and 5th section. As a result, the crew was paralyzed or in a state of shock and the control of the airplane was lost instantly. The following factors were reported:
- Presence of thunderstorm activity,
- Overheating and rupture of the control cables on the left aileron due to the exposure to high temperatures,
- The crew was unable to send any distress call,
- The dive was quick, uncontrollable and at an excessive speed,
- The crew was unable to attempt an emergency landing in night conditions,
- Employees at the meteorological station in Aktyubinsk did not indicate any thunderstorm in the weather forecast,
- The observer at the weather station of Novoalekseevka noted the presence of a thunderstorm but failed to report it to the Aktyubinsk weather station, violating the published procedures.

Crash of a Tupolev G-1 near Alga

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-4 (TB-1 & G-1)

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ashkhabad – Tashkent – Shalkar – Aktyoubinsk – Moscow

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot departed Ashkhabad on a ferry flight to Moscow. He made a stop in Tashkent to pick up a passenger without prior permission. At Shalkar Airport, he was informed about the poor weather conditions en route to Aktyubinsk but decided to takeoff, again, without authorization. About an hour and 45 minutes into the flight, while flying in clouds, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a prairie located 3 km from Alga Station, about 45 km southeast from Aktyubinsk. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

The decision of the pilot to takeoff without permission, knowing that weather conditions en route were unfavorable. It was also reported that the airplane was not equipped with any navigational instruments or any equipment that could allow the pilot to flight under IMC conditions.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Kuybyshev: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1936 at 0930 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1918

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Aktyubinsk – Kuybyshev – Moscow

MSN:

9466

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Aktyubinsk on a mail flight to Moscow with an intermediate stop in Kuybyshev. On approach to Kuybyshev Airport, the pilot completed a haft-circle to reach the runway when he realized his position was incorrect. He decided to initiate a go-around procedure when he saw the pipe of a foundry. While trying to get height, the airplane collided with the pipe and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of a wrong approach configuration caused by pilot fatigue combined with poor piloting techniques.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Aktyubinsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1935

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1522

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Guryev – Aktyubinsk

MSN:

8004

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

323

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Guryev Airport around 1300-1400LT on a flight to Aktyubinsk, carrying one engineer and one pilot, violating several rules. En route, weather conditions worsened and the pilot encountered poor visibility (around 1 km) due to snow falls. While cruising over an oil field, he lost his bearings and failed to locate his position. He initiated a sharp turn to the right, apparently to return, when the airplane impacted ground and crashed. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a sharp turn at low height in poor weather conditions.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The pilot was cleared for takeoff despite the weather conditions en route were considered as poor,
- The pilot's licence was expired,
- The CofA was not on board,
- The temporary certificate was late for more than two months.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP in Aktyubinsk

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1934 at 1010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1015

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

5716

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Aktyubinsk Airport on a mail flight, carrying one pilot and 125 kg of mail. Ten minutes after takeoff, the pilot decided to return because he thought there was a loss of hydraulic pressure. Following a wrong approach configuration, he landed with a tailwind component when, upon landing, the airplane crashed and collided with a parked Polikarpov SP registered CCCP-L1018. The pilot escaped with minor injuries and the airplane was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The following contributing factors were identified:
- The pilot adopted wrong piloting techniques,
- Wrong approach calculation and configuration,
- Non compliance with published procedures,
- The pilot landed with a tailwind component,
- The person in charge of the airport failed to change the 'T' according to the wind component.

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