Leningrad-Pulkovo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Irkutsk - Kurgan - Leningrad

MSN:

80A413

YOM:

1980

Flight number:

SU3739

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

11411

Aircraft flight cycles:

4669

Circumstances:

At 1453LT, while in cruising altitude over Vologda on a flight from Irkutsk to Leningrad via Kurgan, a group of 11 hijackers (all from the same Oveshkin Family) informed the cabin crew that a bomb was on board and requested to be flown to London. The captain explained that he did not have sufficient fuel to fly to UK and proposed to make a stopover in Finland. In accordance with the authorities and his corporate, the captain eventually landed at the Veshchevo Airbase located 105 km northwest of Leningrad, near the Finnish border. After landing, hijackers realized they were not in Finland and open fire in the cabin. As a door could be open by a crew member, police officers entered the cabin and open fire as well. When the hijackers realized their hijacking attempt failed, two of them committed suicide. The aircraft was partially destroyed by fire and nine people were killed, five hijackers, one stewardess and three passengers. 19 other people were injured in the event.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the group of 11 hijackers were all from the same family Oveshkin, members of the jazz band christened 'Seven Simeons'. After several concerts in Japan, they were making a tour in the Soviet Union but wanted to escape to Europe. Investigations determined that one of the band bag containing a double bass was too big to be brought in the cabin but the passengers convinced the personnel at the airport to have it in the cabin. Visual and tactile controls performed by the ground security personnel was inadequate, so they failed to realize that few hand grenades and two sawed shotguns were placed in the double bottom of the double bass bag.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134AK in Minsk: 58 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1985 at 0801 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-134

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-65910

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Minsk - Leningrad

MSN:

63971

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

685

Aircraft flight cycles:

448

Circumstances:

Six seconds after takeoff from runway 13 at Minsk-2 Airport, while climbing to a height of 35 meters and a speed of 325 km/h, the left engine lost power and failed. The crew continued to climb to a height of 220 meters, still at a speed of 325 km/h, when the right engine lost power and failed. The pilot-in-command attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located 10,100 meters from the airport, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found 3 hours and 15 minutes later. 22 people were injured while 58 others were killed, among them three crew members.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft remained parked on the apron at Minsk-2 Airport for about a week prior to the flight and has not been deiced prior to takeoff. During initial climb, some ice detached from both wings and entered both engines, causing them to flame out.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-42 in Verbovichi: 132 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1982 at 1051 LT

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-42

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-42529

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Leningrad - Kiev

MSN:

11 04 01 04

YOM:

1981

Flight number:

SU8641

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

124

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

132

Aircraft flight hours:

795

Aircraft flight cycles:

496

Circumstances:

Enroute from Leningrad to Kiev, the crew was cleared to descend from 9,000 to 7,800 meters in order to avoid a thunderstorm area. Few minutes later, the three engine aircraft entered a dive. During an uncontrolled descent, the aircraft lost several elements then partially disintegrated and eventually crashed at a speed of 810 km/h in fields and wooded areas. A huge crater was found at the point of impact, near the village of Verbovichi, and debris scattered all around on an area of 22,7 km2 (6,5 km long and 3,5 km wide). The accident was not survivable.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew lost control of the airplane after the jackscrew connected to the stabilizers mechanism failed due to an abnormal wear and also a structural imperfection of its mechanism. This caused the stabilizers to move down and to remain blocked in the down position. Despite several attempts, the crew was unable to regain control of the aircraft. Aerodynamic forces caused few elements of the airplane to brake off as they exceeded their certification. Investigations revealed that it was not possible for those in charge of the Yak-42 maintenance to detect the jackscrew abnormal wear because of an incomplete maintenance program. Similar problems were found on other Yak-42 and its certificate of airworthiness was suspended during investigations. Following modifications and updates, the Yak-42 came back into service at the end of the year 1984.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B in Maksatikha: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1978 at 1332 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-154

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-85169

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Landing (descent or approach)

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Baku - Leningrad

MSN:

76A169

YOM:

1976

Flight number:

SU6709

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

126

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

3308

Aircraft flight cycles:

1567

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 9,600 meters on a flight from Baku to Leningrad, all three engines stopped simultaneously. Shortly later, all generators failed as well, causing the electrical system to be inoperative. Unable to maintain altitude and speed that dropped to 370 km/h, the crew attempted an emergency landing in an open field. After touchdown, the airplane slid for 1,518 meters, struck various obstacles and came to rest in flames. Four passengers were killed while 130 other occupants were rescued, some of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

In-flight failure of all three engines after the fuel transfer system failed while being connected on manual mode. Technical analysis were unable to determine the exact cause of the fuel transfer system failure but it is possible this was caused by the malfunction or the failure of a switch or other electrical components.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Prague

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1977

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-134

Operator:

Registration:

OK-CFD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Prague (Hlavní mesto Praha)

Schedule:

Leningrad - Prague

MSN:

2 35 15 05

YOM:

1972

Location:

Prague-Ruzyne

Country:

Czech Republic

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Prague-Ruzyne Airport in limited visibility, the crew was cleared to land. Upon landing, the Tupolev collided with a CSA Ilyushin II-18V registered OK-NAA. With six crew members on board, the II-18 was just cleared to line up for takeoff. While the II-18 was slightly damaged, the TU-134 veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a snow covered field. All 48 occupants were evacuated safely, four of them were injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the air traffic controller based in the tower just cleared the crew of the II-18 to line up on the same runway where the crew of the TU-134 was cleared to land few seconds earlier. The separation time was insufficient. The lack of visibility was considered as a contributing factor as both crew failed to see each other.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Klushino: 73 killed

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1976 at 1856 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-104

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-42471

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moscow - Leningrad

MSN:

0 2 12 04

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

SU2415

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

22199

Aircraft flight cycles:

13336

Circumstances:

Following a normal takeoff roll on runway 24R, the airplane lifted off at a speed of 290 km/h with the copilot at controls. At this time, the visibility was poor due to the night and marginal weather conditions. Less than a minute later, while climbing, the airplane rolled to the right to an angle of 60-70° then the airspeed increased to 580 km/h. The captain took over control when the airplane initiated an uncontrolled descent and crashed at a speed of 620 km/h in a huge explosion near the village of Klushino, about 10 km northwest of the airport, three minutes after takeoff. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 73 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control during initial climb after the crew suffered a spatial disorientation in poor visibility due to the failure of the artificial horizon. This may be caused by the failure of the 36 volts electrical system.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18 in Tashkent: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1974 at 1705 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-75405

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Tashkent Province (Toshkent viloyati)

Schedule:

Samarkand - Tashkent - Leningrad

MSN:

186 0090 05

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

SU5139

Location:

Tashkent-Yuzhny

Country:

Uzbekistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

106

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

19030

Aircraft flight cycles:

6427

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll, at a speed of 230 km/h, the engine n°4 failed. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and started an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran at a speed of 100 km/h, went through a road and a ditch before coming to rest, broken in two. 20 passengers were injured, three of them seriously as they were not wearing their seat belt. Few hours later, one of them died.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the engine n°4 failed after colliding with birds during the takeoff roll, causing the high pressure turbine to fail. Several errors on part of the flying crew contributed to the accident, such as a wrong decision on part of the captain, his lack of knowledge about the time needed between the engine full power mode and the activation of the reverse mode. Also, the thrust reverse systems were activated on both left engines only as the flight engineer failed to activate the thrust reverse system on engine n°3.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Leningrad: 109 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1974 at 1807 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-75559

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Leningrad - Zaporozhie - Krasnodar

MSN:

186 0077 03

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

102

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

109

Aircraft flight hours:

18358

Aircraft flight cycles:

7501

Circumstances:

Less than three minutes after takeoff from Leningrad-Pulkovo Airport, while in initial climb, the crew informed ATC about the failure of the engine n°4, declared an emergency and was cleared to return. About three minutes later, the engine n°4 caught fire and exploded. On final, the airplane went out of control, nosed down by an angle of 60° and crashed in a huge explosion in an open field located 2,480 meters short of runway. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and most of the debris were found 242 meters to the right of the extended centerline. None of the 109 occupants survived the crash.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the third stage of the high pressure turbine disintegrated two minutes and 53 seconds after takeoff. The engine then exploded three minutes later and some debris impacted the right aileron that was jammed in a down position while the left aileron was in a up position. This asymmetric situation contributed to the loss of control on short final.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-62 in Moscow: 174 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1972 at 2149 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-62

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-86671

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site: