Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Cugir: 32 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 9, 1964 at 2026 LT
Operator:
Registration:
YR-ILB
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Timişoara – Bucharest
MSN:
1460 009 26
YOM:
1960
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
On the flight from Timişoara to Bucharest, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and a landing at Băneasa Airport was impossible. ATC rerouted the crew to Craiova Airport but again, landing was not possible there so the crew was vectored to an airport in the north of the country. En route, the airplane encountered strong downdrafts and severe turbulences, causing the fuselage to fail. The airplane disintegrated in the air and crashed about 2 km south of Cugir. The debris were found on a large area in a field and a wooded area as well, some 55 km west of Sibiu. All 32 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, a storm was affecting most of the Romanian airspace and the flying conditions were considered as poor.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight caused by severe downdrafts and turbulences coming from a thunderstorm activity caused a structural failure of the fuselage while the crew was attempting to maintain the aircraft in a flat attitude. The airplane disintegrated in the air and crashed.
