Batumi | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

This flight between Moscow and Batumi was operated by the Russian Air Force twice a month. On board were Russian soldiers and family members returning to their base in Batumi following a leave period. Due to poor weather conditions west of Batumi, the crew was cleared to initiate the approach to Batumi-Chorokh Airport from the northeast to runway 31 while the usual approach is from the sea to runway 13. While descending in poor visibility at an altitude of 940 metres and a speed of 340 km/h, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Mtirala (,1336 metres high) located about 17 km northeast of Batumi Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 84 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the crew continued the approach in poor weather conditions below the minimum prescribed altitude and while deviated from the approach path. The following contributing factors were identified:
- Navigational error on part of the crew during the final stage of the approach,
- ATC based at Batumi Airport failed to determine the exact position of the aircraft and failed to warn the crew accordingly,
- The crew 's decision to continue the approach in such conditions rather than to divert to a suitable alternate airport,
- Erroneous data transmitted by ground navigational aids in the Batumi area.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B near Choporti: 33 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1993 at 2215 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

Registration:

EY-26035

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Batumi - Baku - Shimkent

MSN:

106 04

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Batumi to Baku, while cruising at the assigned altitude of 5,100 metres, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and severe turbulences. Shortly later, the aircraft stalled, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed on the slope of a mountain (690 metres high) located near Choporti. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 33 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control in flight following atmospheric turbulences in thunderstorm area.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Batumi

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-134

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-65053

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

49838

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing at Batumi Airport, the aircraft encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and lost its nose gear before coming to rest. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the runway had not been thoroughly cleared from snow.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 near Kiev

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1990 at 1531 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-29110

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Batumi - Kiev

MSN:

40 25 02

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

4461

Aircraft flight cycles:

2703

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Batumi to Kiev, carrying 12 passengers, five crew members and a load of mandarins. While cruising at an altitude of 4,150 meters, the captain asked the copilot to activate the deicing systems. For unknown reasons, the copilot mistakenly shut down all four engines. Following various mistakes, the crew was unable to restart the engines. The captain declared an emergency and was cleared to divert to Kiev-Borispol Airport for an emergency landing. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, he eventually attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field located about 12 km northwest of Borispol Airport. All 17 occupants were rescued, among them 14 people were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The copilot mistakenly shut down all four engine in flight,
- The crew was unable to restart the engine due to uncoordinated hasty actions in a difficult situation,
- The copilot did not have sufficient experience on this type of aircraft and was not familiar with its operation,
- Lack of crew training.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Tbilisi: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1983

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-134

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-65807

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tbilisi - Batumi - Kiev - Leningrad

MSN:

3352108

YOM:

1973

Flight number:

SU6833

Location:

Tbilisi-Shota-Rustaveli (ex Novo Alekseyevka)

Tbilisi City District

Country:

Georgia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

13273

Aircraft flight cycles:

10506

Circumstances:

En route from Tbilisi to Batumi, while in cruising altitude, seven hijackers (young Georgian people) elected to divert the aircraft to Turkey. Hijackers opened fire in the cabin and cockpit but the copilot was able to make sharp maneuvers, forcing the hijacker to leave the cockpit. The crew was able to return to Tbilisi Airport where security forces stormed the aircraft. Seven occupants, three crew members and four passengers (among them three hijackers) were killed. At least 63 bullets holes were found in the fuselage and the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair due to serious deformation of the structure caused by excessive g loads during an emergency descent.

Probable cause:

Structural damages caused by excessives g loads and bullets holes due to hijacking situation.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV on Mt Apshara: 38 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1975 at 2214 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-46467

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tbilisi - Batumi - Sukhumi - Krasnodar

MSN:

27307905

YOM:

1972

Flight number:

SU6274

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

7335

Aircraft flight cycles:

6878

Circumstances:

En route from Batumi to Sukhumi, weather conditions worsened and the crew was cleared to modify his route to avoid the low pressure are to the north. Few minutes later, the crew was cleared to descend to 2,400 meters. While cruising at a speed of 410 km/h in limited visibility due to the night and marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the south slope of Mt Apshara (2,580 meters high) located about 26 km northeast of Gali, Abkhazia. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 38 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a series of negligences and wrong decisions on part of ATC who cleared the crew to descent to an unsafe altitude of 2,400 meters while the minimum safe altitude for the area was 3,600 meters. This was made possible by several errors in the track calculation after the crew has been cleared to avoid the low pressure area but his position was 25 km too far from the prescribed flight path at that moment. The crew failed to take the appropriate measures to know his proper position which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Batumi: 40 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1975 at 1234 LT

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87475

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Yerevan - Batumi

MSN:

9 44 20 37

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

SU015E

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1244

Aircraft flight cycles:

1151

Circumstances:

While completing a visual approach to Batumi Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and initiated a go around procedure. The pilot-in-command completed a first turn to the right, flew for about 1,5 km then made a turn to the left. While cruising at an altitude of 550 meters at a speed of about 300-350 km/h in a flaps and gear down configuration, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Mtirala (595 meters high) located 15 km from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 40 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

ATC failed to inform the crew about the real weather conditions at Batumi Airport and the crew initiated a go around procedure in marginal weather conditions with a visibility reduced to 3 km instead of the 5 km as mentioned by ATC. In such conditions, the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP off Cape Tsikhisdziri: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1966 at 1003 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-96224

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Batumi - Poti - Sukhumi

MSN:

1G72-08

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

G-72

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

327

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a flight from Batumi to Sukhumi with an intermediate stop at Poti. Ten minutes after take off from Batumi Airport, while cruising at a height of 250 meters some two km offshore, the engine failed. The crew decided to ditch the aircraft into the Black Sea near a fishing vessel some 1,8 km off Cape Tsikhisdziri. A passenger was killed while all 11 other occupants were rescued and picked up by the crew of the fishing vessel. The aircraft sank and the wreckage was recovered from a depth of some 34-36 meters on 14SEP1966.

Probable cause:

Engine failure due to problems with the magnetos.

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