Batagay

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Tiksi - Batagay - Yakutsk

MSN:

7 3 447 05

YOM:

1963

Flight number:

SU40066

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

16419

Aircraft flight cycles:

9041

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Tiksi to Irkutsk with an intermediate stop in Batagay, carrying six crew members and a load of 15,5 tons of apples. The descent to Batagay Airport was initiated by night and marginal weather conditions. Thus, the visibility was limited and the crew was unable to establish a visual contact with the ground or the airport. For unknown reasons, the crew and especially the captain failed to follow the approach procedures and preferred to follow a schema dedicated for VFR approach only. This caused the aircraft to descent below the minimum prescribed altitude when the GPWS warning sounded in the cockpit. The captain disengaged the GPWS alarm system and decided to continue the descent when, at a speed of 355 km/h, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 25 km from the Batagay Airport. In a right bank of 22°, the aircraft crashed and disintegrated in a snow covered ground. All six occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Poor approach planning and wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who continued the descent below the minimum descent altitude. After the GPWS warning sounded, the captain deactivated the system and continued the approach without any visual contact with the ground or the airport. In such conditions, the crew should initiate a go-around procedure.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP in Lazo

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1987

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-40556

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Site:

Schedule:

Batagay - Lazo

MSN:

1G84-09

YOM:

1967

Flight number:

SU347D

Location:

Lazo

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching the landing area at Lazo, the captain let the copilot conducting the approach but failed to supervise properly his actions. The copilot failed to analyze properly the wind component and on final, the airplane rolled to the right, lost height and crashed. Occupant fate remains unknown. At the time of the accident, the wind was from 150° at 11-21 km/h with gusts at 32 km/h.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who failed to analyze the wind component. Failure of the captain to supervise the copilot's actions. Overconfidence and complacency were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP near Lazo: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1981 at 1231 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-92864

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Batagay - Lazo

MSN:

1G53-16

YOM:

1965

Flight number:

SU347I

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

13125

Circumstances:

The single airplane departed Batagay on a schedule service to Lazo with 10 passengers and two pilots on board. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility and icing conditions. While cruising in low clouds at an altitude of 860 meters, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the region of Lazo. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 12 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that weather conditions were slightly worse than forecast. The crew took the decision to continue the flight into a visibility that was below minimums when no visual contact with ground could be established. The copilot had a blood alcohol level of 1‰ which may have influenced his decisions and capabilities.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Batagay

Date & Time: May 25, 1971 at 1301 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-11024

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Yakutsk - Batagay

MSN:

7 3 448 09

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

5532

Aircraft flight cycles:

1225

Circumstances:

The airplane was completing a cargo flight from Yakutsk to Batagay, carrying a crew of six, two passengers and a load of pipes for a total weight of 11,350 kilos. Following an uneventful flight and approach, the crew completed the landing in good conditions. According to the crew and eyewitnesses, the touchdown was smooth about 74 meters past the runway threshold at a speed of 250 km/h. After a course of 105 meters, a loud sound was heard on the right side of the aircraft. While decelerating, the aircraft deviated to the right when, at a speed of 210 km/h, the engine n°4 struck the ground. The airplane veered off runway to the right, struck an earth mound then trees, pivoted on itself before coming to rest in flames 710 meters after the initial impact and 30 meters to the right of the runway. All eight occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The right main landing gear leg broke shortly after touchdown, probably due to fatigue fracture. Investigations were unable to accurately define the landing parameters because the aircraft was not equipped with the latest generation of FDR systems. The failure of the right main gear could be explained by a prolonged operation of the aircraft under very low temperatures with a large number of landings completed with a total weight at the limit of tolerances. Also, the fact that the flaps were deployed at 25° upon landing resulted in a speed increase of approximately 20 km/h compared to a landing configuration with flaps extended at 35°, which could also be considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B near Batagay: 34 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1970 at 2053 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-47701

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chokurdakh - Batagay

MSN:

59900202

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight, the crew was cleared to descent to 2,700 meters and received all information related to the destination airport. Shortly later, the crew informed ATC about their ETA in eight minutes. As the pilot has the runway in sight, he was cleared to descend to 600 meters. While cruising at an altitude of 1,020 meters at a speed of 350 km/h in a 7° nose-down attitude and a 3° left bank, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (1,081 meters high) located 40 km from the airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 34 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the ground collision was the consequence of a premature descent on part of the pilot-in-command who continued the approach below the minimum safe altitude. The lack of visibility caused by night and the lack of assistance on part of ATC were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Batagay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1964 at 2053 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-23740

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Batagay - Batagay

MSN:

1 37 473 08

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

7175

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local night training mission at Batagay Airport. Following three uneventful circuits, the crew started a fourth approach in a visibility reduced to 4 km due to snow showers. On final, the aircraft struck the slope of a snow hill located 2,200 meters short of runway and 205 meters to the right of its extended centerline. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed. Shortly before the accident, the visibility dropped from 7 to 4 km.

Probable cause:

Poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew who conducted the training mission without the appropriate flying charts. Lack of assistance on part of the ATC at Batagay Airport Tower who failed to transmit information about the deterioration of the weather conditions.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 on Mt Hadaraniya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1956 at 1241 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L5554

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Batagay – Deputatsky

MSN:

1 47 473 05

YOM:

Location:

Mt Hadaraniya

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1355

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Batagay Airport at 1142LT bound for Deputatsky with a crew of three, three passengers and 543 kilos of various goods. En route, weather conditions worsened and the pilot climbed from 1,400 to 2,000 meters. As the visibility deteriorated, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight plan by 12 km and later, the pilot-in-command reduced his altitude to 1,300 meters when the airplane hit the slope of Mt Hadaraniya (1,468 meters high) located about 175 km northeast of Batagay. Two passengers were injured while four other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of wrong decisions on part of the crew who decided to modify his route without prior permission while he was flying in below minima weather conditions above a mountainous area. The following findings were reported:
- poor flight organization,
- poor analysis of the flight documentation,
- meteorological forecast that did not reflect the reality.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Batagay

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1953 at 1030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lisunov LI-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-ZH125

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Batagay – Ozhogino – Zyrianka

MSN:

184 321 10

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region: