Crash of an Ilyushin II-76TD in Belgrade: 12 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1996 at 0316 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-76
Operator:
Registration:
RA-76513
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Yekaterinburg - Belgrade - Valetta
MSN:
00834 14451
YOM:
1988
Location:
Belgrade-Nikola Tesla (ex Surčin)
Belgrade City District
Country:
Serbia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Yekaterinburg to Africa via Belgrade and Luqa, Malta, carrying two passengers, 10 crew members and a load of aircraft tires and squibs. Following a night takeoff from Belgrade-Surčin Airport, the crew informed ATC about technical problems and reported the loss of all electrical power. Following a holding pattern for about 2,5 hours, the crew attempted to land but the visibility was low due to poor weather conditions. On short final, without any headlights, the aircraft struck the ground and crashed 800 metres short of runway, bursting into flames. All 12 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that prior to takeoff from Belgrade-Surčin Airport, while preparing the flight, the crew forgot to switch on the VU-6A AC/DC converter after start-up of the engines, causing the 27 volts electrical system to be constantly fed from the batteries. When batteries ran flat, all the avionic and boosters were left without power.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Vişina: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
YR-BMJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bucharest - Belgrade
MSN:
77310801
YOM:
1977
Location:
Vişina
Olt
Country:
Romania
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Bucharest-Otopeni on a special flight to Belgrade to collect humanitarian supplies. While in cruising altitude, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near Vişina. All seven occupants were killed, among them the British photographer and journalist Ian Parry who was covering the Romanian Revolution.
Probable cause:
The probable cause which determined the crash of the AN-24 aircraft registered YR-BMJ in the day of 28th of December, 1989 near the Vişina village, Dimbovita county is the action of a force outside the aircraft, including the possibility of the impact with a foreign object located outside of it and in its flight trajectory, in the area of the left horizontal stabilizer, which is appreciated to have weakened the structure of the left horizontal stabilizer, to have caused an uncommanded and sudden trim of the horizontal stabilizer and a jam in this position, causing the aircraft to enter a dive and the impossibility of the flight crew to actuate the flight controls [in such a manner] to regain control of the flight trajectory, due to reasons independent of the aircraft as well as the will and actions of the crew.

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

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1988 at 0223 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
YU-AID
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Belgrade - Yerevan
MSN:
01 348 010
YOM:
1971
Location:
Yerevan-Zvartnots
Armavir
Country:
Armenia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
8388
Aircraft flight cycles:
4727
Circumstances:
The aircraft was approaching Yerevan to drop first aid, medics and various goods for the victims of the recent earthquake. On short final by night, the aircraft was too low and crashed few hundred meters short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the aircraft was approaching Yerevan at an insufficient altitude following wrong information transmitted to the crew by ATC.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-32 in Belgrade

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-9
Operator:
Registration:
YU-AJN
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris - Belgrade
MSN:
47579/693
YOM:
1973
Location:
Belgrade-Nikola Tesla (ex Surčin)
Belgrade City District
Country:
Serbia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Belgrade-Surčin Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with patches of fog and a visibility limited to 2,500 meters with 7/8 of clouds at 1,500 meters. The pilot-in-command decided to continue the approach after he lost visual contact with the ground when the airplane struck the ground 2,570 meters short of runway threshold. On impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the airplane slid for several meters before coming to rest in flammes. All 50 occupants were able to evacuate the cabin and only four passengers were slightly injured while the aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew who decided to continue the approach below the minimum descent altitude in limited visibility after visual contact was lost with the ground.

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle III in Belgrade

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle
Operator:
Registration:
YU-AJG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
191
YOM:
1965
Location:
Belgrade-Nikola Tesla (ex Surčin)
Belgrade City District
Country:
Serbia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Belgrade-Surcin Airport, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to a halt. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DL in Rajince: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
4W-ABI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Belgrade - Athens - Cairo - Jeddah - Aden
MSN:
9334
YOM:
1943
Location:
Rajince
Southern and Eastern Serbia
Country:
Serbia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded and mountainous area located near Rajince, south Serbia. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed the accident was the consequence of a loss of control caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on the aircraft.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Belgrade: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
YU-ACB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Belgrade - Belgrade
MSN:
13367
YOM:
1944
Location:
Belgrade-Nikola Tesla (ex Surčin)
Belgrade City District
Country:
Serbia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight in the region of Belgrade. While approaching Belgrade-Surcin Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed near the Save River, some 4 km short of runway 30 threshold. All five crew members were killed.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Belgrade: 33 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1964 at 1135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75668
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Moscow – Belgrade
MSN:
183 0057 04
YOM:
1963
Location:
Belgrade-Nikola Tesla (ex Surčin)
Belgrade City District
Country:
Serbia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
33
Circumstances:
While descending to Belgrade-Surcin Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. On final, ATC informed the pilot his altitude was insufficient and that he was approaching below the glide. In foggy conditions, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located on the slope of Mt Avala (520 meters high) located about 20 km from the runway 30 threshold. The wreckage was found about 35 meters below the summit and all 33 occupants were killed. Among the victims were Marshall Sergei S. Biryuzov and General Vladimir I. Zhdanov accompanied by 15 WWII Veterans who were flying to Belgrade to take part to the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the offensive of the city of Belgrade by the Soviet Army on 20 October 1944. Following the accident, all celebrations were cancelled.
Probable cause:
The crew continued the approach at an insufficient altitude, maybe due to an altimeter misreading or malfunction. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to fog and the weather conditions were poor due to rain falls and cross winds up to 25 knots.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL on Mt Prenj

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
YU-ABH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Belgrade – Mostar
MSN:
9488
YOM:
1943
Location:
Mt Prenj
East Herzegovina
Country:
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While descending to Mostar, the crew encountered engine problems. The captain reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed on the slope of Mt Prenj located 28 km north of Mostar Airport and came to rest in flames. While all 32 occupants evacuated safely, the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Engine problems on approach.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Roccatamburo: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1958 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
YE-AAB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rome – Belgrade
MSN:
4345
YOM:
1941
Location:
Roccatamburo
Umbria
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
3165
Captain / Total hours on type:
2125.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on an official government flight from Rome, Italy to Yugoslavia, taking the Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Yemen to Belgrade. Four crew and four passengers were aboard. The flight departed Ciampino Airport (Rome) at 1645Z on an IFR flight plan and was to proceed via Viterbo, Pescara and Split to Belgrade. Due to the fact that the aircraft gave an impossible estimate for its ETA over Viterbo, Ciampino Tower, at 1729Z on its own initiative, notified the aircraft that it was on a bearing of 315°, which indicated that it was to the west of Viterbo. At 1736Z, YE-AAB advised it was over the Viterbo NDB giving its ETA at Pescara as 1817Z. At 1738Z the Tower cleared the aircraft to climb from 8,500 feet to 13,000 feet and requested it to transfer from VHF to HF for further en route navigation messages. The aircraft acknowledged, and this was the last effective radio contact. At approximately 1800Z the aircraft crashed on the western slopes of Monte Porretta at a height of 2,690 feet. All aboard were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to faulty conduct of the flight. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequately trained crew,
- Faulty use of the radio compass,
- Failure to request assistance of D/F facilities,
- Erroneous estimates,
- The pilot-in-command and the crew had an inadequate knowledge of the Italian and English phraseology to be used in ground-air-ground radio communications,
- Erroneous assessment of adverse weather conditions, particularly at the destination airport, bearing in mind the lack of adequate facilities under such conditions,
- Errors in compilation of the flight plan, error of approximately 12 minutes in estimated time for the Rome-Viterbo segment,
- Inaccurate indication of frequencies available in aircraft, in actual fact, the control frequency of the Rome ACC (120.1 Kc) was not available although it was essential for flight assistance,
- Inadequacy of charts covering the area along the route. It appears that there was no chart of Europe on board and the flight guide which was found in the wreckage was out of date.
Final Report:
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