Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Khorugh: 82 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1993 at 1046 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Registration:
EY-87995
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Khorugh - Dushanbe
MSN:
9 54 19 44
YOM:
1975
Location:
Khorugh
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
81
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
82
Circumstances:
During takeoff roll at Khorugh Airport, at Vr speed, the crew started the rotation but the aircraft failed to respond and did not lift off. It continued at high speed, overran, collided with a concrete wall located 150 metres past the runway end and eventually crashed in the Pyanj River. Four passengers were rescued while 82 other occupants were killed, most of them woman, children and soldiers.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred during the Tajik Civil War. It was determined that soldiers forced the crew to embark as many passengers as possible while the Yak-40 is certified fox max 32 passengers. At the time of the accident were 81 passengers on board. As the total weight of the aircraft was 3 tons above MTOW, it was impossible to take off in such conditions.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Rushan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1953 at 0620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4027
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Khorugh – Stalinabad
MSN:
184 299 05
YOM:
1948
Flight number:
SU878
Location:
Rushan
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
1477
Circumstances:
At 0613LT, while cruising at an altitude of 4,000 meters, the crew informed ATC he just passed over the city of Rushan eight minutes earlier. Shortly later, weather conditions deteriorated and the crew encountered clouds and low visibility. Now at an altitude of 4,800 meters, the aircraft lost height due to strong downdraft and hit the south slope of a mountain located near the Yauza Pass located about 15 km northwest of Rushan. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all seven occupants were killed. The wreckage was found two days later at an altitude of 4,800 meters, approx 100 meters below the summit.
Probable cause:
The aircraft lost height due to downdraft and at the time of the accident, it was off course because the captain decided to modify his route for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Odudi Pass: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov PR-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3316
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Stalinabad - Khorugh
MSN:
203
YOM:
1939
Location:
Odudi Pass
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Stalinabad on a flight to Khorugh, carrying six passengers (four adults and two children) and one pilot. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor. Despite the situation, the pilot decided to continue. Flying in clouds, the airplane struck a rock and crashed in deep snow at an altitude of 3,900 metres near the Odudi Pass. All seven occupants survived the accident with minor injuries but without any food and in extreme conditions with very low outside temperature. Twelve days after the accident, the pilot and three passengers tried to find help and left the crash site. During this trip, a passenger died of cold. On May 12, an expedition was sent to the crash site and found a woman and her two children aged one and nine died of cold and hunger.
Probable cause:
The following factors were determined:
- The weather briefing transmitted to the pilot prior to the flight did not reflect the truth and reported good weather conditions all along the route from Stalinabad to Khorugh,
- The pilot decided to continue the flight despite the lack of visibility due to poor weather conditions and failed to return to his departure point.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 in Khorugh

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov PR-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2175
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Dushanbe - Khorugh
MSN:
119
YOM:
1937
Location:
Khorugh
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a flight from Dushanbe, the single engine airplane crashed upon landing at Khorugh Airfield and was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Mismanagement of the landing equipment on part of the pilot,
- The decision of the pilot to land without checking the exact position of the landing gear (skis),
- A faulty conception of the undercarriage.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Doshtak: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1936 at 1850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1532
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Khorugh - Stalinabad
MSN:
7967
YOM:
1934
Location:
Doshtak
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
745
Aircraft flight cycles:
490
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Khorugh on a flight to Stalinabad with one passenger and one pilot on board. Weather conditions were considered as good. About an hours into the flight, after entering a valley, the pilot lost his bearings and was unable to locate his position. After dark, the pilot saw the lights of the city of Doshtak and elected to land when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain. The pilot was killed and the passenger was uninjured.
Probable cause:
The pilot got lost after an hour of flight as he failed to use his charts properly. A poor crew training was considered as a contributing factor.

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

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1571
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Stalinabad - Khorugh
MSN:
8555
YOM:
1934
Location:
Khorugh
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
682
Aircraft flight cycles:
708
Circumstances:
Following a wrong approach configuration, the pilot missed the runway and landed beside the runway in 40 cm of snow. After a course of 50 metres, the airplane overturned and came to rest upside down. The pilot was ejected from the cockpit and killed. Both passengers were injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the pilot.
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