Leninabad | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The three engine aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path by 67 km while circumnavigating a thunderstorm over the mountains with neither crew nor ATC realizing the deviation. At this time, the radio compass did not work properly due to the interference caused by the proximity of the thunderstorm, and the wind component was different than forecast. When the crew reported overflying the outer marker, the aircraft was in fact still 43 km away from it. While descending in clouds, the aircraft crashed at a height of 2,840 metres into the slope of a mountain located 44 km northwest of Dushanbe Airport. All 29 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

According to officials, the pilots have been hampered in their actions by the lack of visibility caused by poor weather conditions that remains a contributing factor. It is believed that the initial information provided by pilots to air traffic controllers were false and could have misled them. However, the assistance provided by air traffic controllers was insufficient and they did not proceed to any fix point control that should let them identifying the wrong position of the aircraft and thus informing the crew accordingly.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V near Leninabad: 79 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1973 at 0737 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-75712

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dushanbe - Leninabad - Moscow

MSN:

189 0018 04

YOM:

1959

Flight number:

SU630

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

20404

Aircraft flight cycles:

9590

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 6,600 meters, the crew received the permission to descent to 4,500 meters when the automatic pilot system was deactivated. Suddenly, the airplane banked left to an angle of 90° then entered a dive. At an altitude of 2,200 meters, due to excessive g loads, the left wing separated and the aircraft caught fire. Out of control, it crashed at a speed of 840 km/h in an open field located 8,4 km southeast of Buston Station, about 38 km northwest of Leninabad Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 79 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the loss of control, that occurred just after the automatic pilot system has been deactivated, was caused by the failure of an attitude indicator was not ruled out.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Mt Bel'-Aut: 11 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1949 at 1115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lisunov LI-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L4335

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Leninabad – Samarkand – Stalinabad

MSN:

184 279 07

YOM:

1947

Location:

Mt Bel'-Aut

Surxondaryo Province (Surxondaryo viloyati)

Country:

Uzbekistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1366

Circumstances:

En route, the crew was informed that weather conditions were poor in Samarkand and received the autorisation to fly directly to Stalinabad. The crew decided to change his route and while flying in cloudy conditions, the pilot in command mistook the Chakchar Mountain Range with the Kush-Tang Mountain Range and started the descent prematurely. At an altitude of 2,600 meters, the right wing hit a rocky peak and the aircraft crashed about 400 meters lower and came to rest at an altitude of 2,270 meters. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 11 occupants was found. On May 8, 1949, the wreckage was found on the slope of Mt Bel'-Aut located in a mountain range of the Surxondaryo province in east Uzbekistan.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew cut the route and then followed a wrong track after he mistook two mountain ranges. As the descent was started prematurely, the aircraft was flying at an insufficient altitude at the time of the accident. Poor visibility due to clouds was considered as a contributory factor, as well as wrong decisions on part of the flight operations, lack of discipline on part of the flying crew, lack of organization and communication between the crew and the operations and inappropriate information regarding the weather forecast (information transmitted to the crew had expired).

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Leninabad: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1948 at 0708 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lisunov LI-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L4275

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Stalinabad – Leninabad – Tashkent

MSN:

184 229 09

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2948

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Stalinabad to Tashkent with an intermediate stop in Leninabad, carrying a load of tires, construction goods, ropes and tuns. After the aircraft overflew Jizzhak, the captain started the descent through thick clouds. At this moment, the crew was unaware that the aircraft was off course due to strong winds when, at an altitude of 700 meters, the aircraft hit the west slope of a mountain located in the Mogol-Tau Mountain Range, about 31 km from Leninabad. Rescuers arrived on site a day later and were able to evacuate a wounded crew member while four other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Rough indiscipline of the captain who violated several rules and requirements,
- Poor organization of aircraft flight planning and mismanagement of aircraft traffic,
- Wrong decision taken regarding the weather forecast,
- Lack of assistance and guidance during the flight, regarding the deterioration of the weather along the route,
- Poor control of flight operations,
- Lack of professionalism on part of the Stalinabad AMSC that transmitted to the crew undue weather, wrong weather forecasting with conditions worse than predicted,
- Poor organization and operational control to ensure safety,
- Failure to provide the appropriate Leninabad radio equipment for the aircraft,
- Lack of leadership on part of the RDS in Stalinabad and Tashkent,
- Lack of accurate instructions on part of the ADS in Leninabad.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Leninabad: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Lisunov LI-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L4088

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Leninabad – Alma Ata

MSN:

184 137 04

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1984

Circumstances:

The aircraft lifted off from Leninabad after a takeoff roll of 1,200 meters only. After rotation, while in initial climb at a height of 2-3 meters, the aircraft hit a telephone pole and power cables, stalled and crashed in flames. Three occupants were killed while four others were injured, among them the copilot. The aircraft was partially destroyed by fire. The crew was performing a cargo flight to Alma Ata, carrying a load consisting of apricots and silk.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the takeoff roll was too long because the total weight of the aircraft was 627 kilos above the MTOW. Despite the situation, the captain did not take the decision to abandon the takeoff and completed the rotation after a course of 1,200 meters with an insufficient speed. After liftoff, a part of the cargo totaling 290 kilos shifted in the rear of the cabin, causing the aircraft to stall.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 in Leninabad: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov PR-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2162

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Stalinabad – Leninabad

MSN:

106

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

At 0700LT, the pilot was cleared for takeoff from Stalinabad on a mail flight to Leninabad despite weather conditions at destination were poor due to thunderstorm activity. On approach, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a field and was killed.

Probable cause:

The pilot was inexperienced and this was his first solo flight. Failure of the Authority at Stalinabad Airport who allowed the pilot to take off despite poor weather conditions at destination and his lack of experience.