Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B-1 in Omsk: 178 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1984 at 0539 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-154
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-85243
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Krasnodar – Omsk – Novosibirsk
MSN:
77A243
YOM:
1977
Flight number:
SU3352
Location:
Omsk-Intl
Omsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
170
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
178
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Krasnodar, the crew started the approach to Omsk Airport in a reduced visibility due to the night and rain falls. The aircraft landed at a speed of 270 km/h and about one second later, the captain noticed the presence of vehicles on the runway. He initiated a turn to the right when the left wing struck the vehicles. Upon impact, all three vehicles were destroyed and the four people on board were killed instantly. Out of control, the airplane turned to the left, veered off runway and came to rest upside down, broken in two, bursting into flames. Four crew members and one passenger survived while all 174 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the person in charge of the runway maintenance allowed a team of three vehicles to enter the runway for maintenance and then fell asleep. Thus, he failed to inform ATC about the presence of ground vehicles on the runway and the Air Traffic Controller based in the Airport Tower was unable to see the vehicles due to poor visibility caused by night and rain falls. As ATC was not aware of the presence of ground vehicles, he was unable to inform the crew prior to landing. Also, it was reported that the vehicles dispatched on the runway were not equipped with rotating flashing beacons and radios that would allow their personnel to listen the tower frequency.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Krasnodar

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1980
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-56498
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G182-55
YOM:
1979
Location:
Krasnodar
Krasnodar Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a spraying mission on behalf of the sovkhoz of Rossiya. On landing, the airplane collided with an automobile and crashed. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Mineralnye Vody

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-46418
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Krasnodar - Mineralnye Vody
MSN:
87304103
YOM:
1968
Location:
Mineralnye Vody
Stavropol Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
43
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Mineralnye Vody Airport, while at a height of 200 meters, reverse thrust was unintentionally applied. The aircraft lost height and crash-landed in a field some 2 km short of runway 12 threshold, near the suburb of Kangly. All 4 crew and 43 passengers escaped unhurt.
Probable cause:
Error on part of the crew who activated the thrust reverser system on final approach.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 near Nashchekino: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1971 at 1610 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-64456
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Tbilisi - Krasnodar - Myachkovo
MSN:
8 34 40 03
YOM:
1958
Location:
Nashchekino
Voronezh oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
13169
Circumstances:
While cruising in good weather conditions at an altitude of 2,700 meters and at a speed of 300 km/h, control was lost. The airplane nosed down and entered a dive. Elements from the stabilisers and from the wing tips detached during the descent and the aircraft crashed in a nose-down attitude of 15-20° and at a speed of 330 km/h in a field located 3 km southwest of Nashchekino, some 9 km off course. The airplane was totally destroyed upon impact and all six occupants have been killed. The aircraft was on its way from Tbilisi to Myachkovo with an intermediate stop in Krasnodar, carrying 20 empty gas bottle and few boxes containing metal parts for a total weight of 1,792 kg.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it was reported that the aircraft CofG was too far front and that the cargo was not properly secured. Both engines were running at impact and there was no fire prior to final impact. It is possible that the loss of control was also the result of atmospheric turbulences or an unexpected disconnection of the automatic pilot system.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Psebai: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1968 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-01118
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Krasnodar - Psebai
MSN:
1 73 473 17
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
SU961
Location:
Psebai
Krasnodar Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Aircraft flight hours:
11740
Aircraft flight cycles:
18999
Circumstances:
While approaching Psebai on a flight from Krasnodar, the crew encountered below-minima weather conditions (low visibility due to rain falls) and decided to return but it was too late. At a height of 1,050 metres, the airplane struck tree tops and crashed on the wooded slope of the Skalisty khrebet mountain range (1,314 metres high) located 7.5 km northeast of Psebai. The wreckage was found on August 31 only. All 14 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident occurred in below-minima weather conditions and that the decision to return was taken too late. Also, it was reported that weather information transmitted to the crew were too much optimistic and failed to reflect the truth.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Mt Strizhament: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1957 at 0622 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4825
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ashgabat – Krasnovodsk – Baku – Mineralnye Vody – Krasnodar – Simferopol
MSN:
184 345 10
YOM:
15
Flight number:
SU461
Location:
Mt Strizhament
Stavropol Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
8766
Circumstances:
On the leg from Mineralnye Vody to Krasnodar, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility. The aircraft struck trees on a distance of 80 meters then stalled and crashed in flames on a plateau located on the Mt Strizhament, about 30 km south of Stravropol. The aircraft was totally destroyed and eight passengers were killed, the other five occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Error on part of the crew who failed to follow the assigned altitude as mentioned on the flight plan. Poor weather conditions, poor flight preparation and lack of assistance on part of the ATC were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 near Zugdidi: 18 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1953 at 1635 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1375
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow – Rostov-on-Don – Tbilisi
MSN:
30103
YOM:
28
Flight number:
SU229
Location:
Zugdidi
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Aircraft flight hours:
3204
Circumstances:
The crew departed Moscow-Vnukovo Airport at 0520LT on a flight to Tbilisi with an intermediate stop scheduled at Rostov-on-Don. Due to the deterioration of the weather conditions and the presence of a storm between Krasnodar and Sukhumi, the crew decided to modify his route and obtained the permission from ATC to divert to Krasnodar. The crew and the passengers waited for few hours at Krasnodar Airport and the aircraft took off at 1507LT bound for Tbilisi. While cruising under VFR at an altitude of 2,400 meters, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, heavy rain falls, turbulence, hail and lightning. Within few minutes, the aircraft was hit by lightning and suffered heavy turbulence so went out of control and entered a dive. At an altitude of 300 meters, the crew elected to regain control but high g forces exceeded the design of the wings that were torn off. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames in a wooded and hilly terrain located near the village of Grigorishi, about 15 km northeast of Zugdidi. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 18 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by poor weather conditions consisting of thunderstorm activity with heavy rain falls, hail, turbulence and lightning.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 off Tuapse: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1951 at 1532 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1811
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Moscow – Krasnodar – Sochi
MSN:
9 301 33 10
YOM:
27
Location:
Tuapse
Krasnodar Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
1346
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Krasnodar Airport at 1505LT bound for Sochi, carrying six crew members, two passengers and a load of mail for a total of 1,007 kilos. Twenty-one minutes later, the crew obtained the permission to descend visually to 1,800 meters and then 600 meters. While cruising at an altitude of 900 meters off Tuapse, the aircraft went into clouds when it was struck by lightning. Out of control, it dove into the Black Sea and crashed about two km off the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs' rest house located in Tuapse. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and sank by a depth of 55 meters. Some debris were found 3 to 4 weeks later, nobody survived.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft was struck by lightning while flying in an area with thunderstorm activity. Lightning struck the left rear fuel tank and an explosion occurred while contacting fuel vapors. For unknown reason, the crew has not been informed about the presence of thunderstorm and lightning in the region of Tuapse.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-40 in Tatiny: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2466
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Myachkovo - Krasnodar
Location:
Tatiny
Moscow oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
1059
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Myachkovo Airport at 1150LT on a special flight to Krasnodar, carrying two passengers and three crew members. About 25 minutes into the flight, weather conditions deteriorated with sudden heavy snow falls. The pilot elected to return but from a height of 150 metres, the airplane entered a dive and crashed one km north of the village of Tatiny. All five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Sudden deterioration of the weather conditions with heavy snow falls and the too late decision of the pilot to return.

Crash of a Polikarpov AP near Vorochilovsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1941 at 1605 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-A1194
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pyatigorsk – Vorochilovsk – Krasnodar
MSN:
16508
YOM:
1940
Location:
Stavropol
Stavropol Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
745
Circumstances:
The crew was supposed to convoy the airplane (delivery flight) from Pyatigorsk to Krasnodar with an intermediate stop in Vorochilovsk (now Stavropol). Prior to departure from Vorochilovsk, the crew estimated the weather conditions as suitable and took off at 1540LT for Krasnodar. Few minutes after takeoff, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was too low. Despite the situation, the pilot decided to continue in clouds when he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a wooded area located south of the city. The pilot was killed and the flight engineer was injured.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pilot to continue the flight in below minima weather conditions and his failure to continue the flight rather than to return to the departure airport. Poor flight preparation was a contributing factor.
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