Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Magadan

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-11338
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2 4 005 04
YOM:
1962
Location:
Magadan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on a snow covered runway, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the right and collided with a snow bank before coming to rest, broken in two. All occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
It is believed the accident was the consequence of a poor takeoff preparation on part of the crew who misaligned the aircraft on the runway and adopted poor takeoff techniques.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V into the Shelikov Gulf: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1963 at 0855 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75732
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Mys Schmidta – Anadyr – Magadan
MSN:
181 0026 01
YOM:
1960
Location:
Shelikov Gulf
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Aircraft flight hours:
2105
Circumstances:
The crew departed Mys Schmidta (Cape Schmidt) with 14,5 tons of fuel to Anadyr. Following an uneventful flight, a load of 10 tons of meat was loaded in Anadyr and the crew left Anadyr Airport at 0625LT bound for Magadan. One hour and twenty minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 7,000 meters, the radio operator informed ATC that the engine number two failed. The captain started an emergency descent and reach the altitude of 3,000 meters five minutes later when the engine number one failed as well. In such conditions, the crew elected to make an emergency landing on the icy Shelikov Gulf. The airplane belly landed on the ice and slid for several yards before coming to rest 2,700 meters off the coast. It went through the ice and sank. The wreckage and the crew was found six days later, on March 4 at 0830LT. The aircraft was lost and all ten occupants died from hypothermia (OAT -18° C and icy water).
Probable cause:
It was determined that a hot air line located near the engine number two broke in flight. The hot air caused the melting of electrical components and the development of a fire in the engine number two nacelle, followed by the rupture of a fuel hose. Unfortunately, the aircraft was not equipped with life jackets, signaling equipment or warm clothing.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Magadan: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1962 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-49262
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G10-05
YOM:
31
Location:
Magadan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
110
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a crop spraying flight at the Duksha sovkhoz (252 acres) located about 72 km north from Magadan. Five to six minutes after takeoff, while flying to the spraying area at an altitude of 10-20 meters, the pilot-in-command made a turn to the right on approach to a forest. The right wing struck tree tops and the airplane stalled and crashed in flames 60 km from Magadan, near the Khasyn River. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Violation of the published procedures on part of the crew who was flying at an insufficient altitude and misjudged the distance with obstacles.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Enken: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1960 at 1614 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-84609
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Nikolayevsk-on-Amur – Okhotsk – Magadan
MSN:
60 02
YOM:
1949
Location:
Enken
Khabarovsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
10291
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a positioning flight from Nikolayevsk-on-Amur to Magadan with an intermediate stop at Okhotsk. En route, pilots encountered poor weather conditions with turbulences and heavy icing conditions. The airplane lost altitude and eventually dove into the ground before crashing in flames at an altitude of 900 meters on the slope of Mt Dzhugdzhur (1,207 meters high) located in the region of Enken. The burned wreckage was found five days later and all five crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were bad with low visibility, snow falls, severe icing conditions, turbulences, wind from 140° at 100 km/h and an OAT of -18°.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on wings, stabs and tail combined to the extreme poor weather conditions. It was considered that the informations transmitted to the crew related to weather were incomplete and did not reflect the truth. Also, ATC assistance was considered as inefficient.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Severo-Evensky

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1959 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-16192
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Magadan – Evensk – Gizhiga
Location:
Evensk
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While descending to Evensk Airport on a cargo flight from Magadan to Gizhiga, the crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds. At an altitude of 800 meters, the airplane struck the top of a hill, continued for several hundred meters and eventually crashed on a second hill (760 meters high) located 30 km west from Evensk Airport. All six occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Negligence on part of the captain who decided to start the descent prematurely without knowing his exact position, in clouds without visual contact with the ground.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Magadan: 24 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1958 at 1150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1364
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Okhotsk – Magadan
MSN:
30 082
YOM:
1947
Flight number:
SU105
Location:
Magadan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Aircraft flight hours:
11103
Circumstances:
While descending to Magadan Airport on a flight from Okhotsk, weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds, rain falls and a visibility of about four km. On approach, the airplane struck pine trees and crashed in a wooded area located 16,5 km south of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all 24 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The crew started the descent without knowing his real position and altitude. Due to clouds, the pilot failed to locate the ground nor the airport.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Magadan: 22 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1953 at 1118 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1765
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Magadan – Okhotsk – Nikolayevsk-on-Amur – Khabarovsk
MSN:
9 301 31 02
YOM:
31
Flight number:
SU783
Location:
Magadan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Aircraft flight hours:
4271
Circumstances:
The departure from Magadan Airport was completed in light snow conditions. After liftoff, the aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height and rolled left and right. At an altitude of 60-70 meters, the aircraft stalled and crashed six km from the airfield, about two minutes after takeoff. All five crew members and 17 passengers were killed while 10 others were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the total weight of the aircraft was 996 kilos above the MTOW. Also, the crew did not prepare the flight properly and failed to remove the wet snow from the aircraft prior to takeoff, which increased weight, reduced performances and lift. The combination of an overloaded and non decontaminated aircraft caused the accident.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Nizhniye Kresty

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1952 at 0153 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-H1011
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pevek – Nizhniye Kresty – Magadan
MSN:
234 413 07
YOM:
1952
Location:
Chersky
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Pevek to Magadan with an intermediate stop in Nizhniye Kresty on behalf of the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD – Ministerstvo Vnutrennick Del). The takeoff from Nizhniye Kresty Airport was attempted by night and on a runway covered with light snow. After rotation, while in initial climb, the airplane banked left and the left wing just passed over a parked AN-2. The aircraft then turn to the right and crashed on a mound. All four crew members were evacuated safely and the aircraft was later considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The aircraft stalled during initial climb due to an insufficient takeoff speed that was the result of a wrong departure configuration on part of the flying crew. The reaction of the pilot-in-command at stall was incorrect, which was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 on Mt Nevskaya

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1951 at 1225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-H986
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Magadan - Seymchan - Omsukchan
MSN:
1 02 473 10
YOM:
28
Location:
Mt Nevskaya
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
332
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft left Magadan Airport at 0925LT under Visual Flight Rules with good weather conditions. En route, these conditions worsened and it was not possible to reach the crew due to communication issues. The pilot took the decision to cancel the intermediate stop in Seymchan and continued directly to Omsukchan. While the weather conditions became marginal and the visibility dropped, the crew went into a steep valley and dead end. In such conditions, the pilot in command increased power but the aircraft hit trees and crashed on the slope of Mt Nevskaya at an altitude of 1,380 meters. The wreckage was spotted a day later about 40 km southwest of Omsukchan. All eight occupants, among them two children, were evacuated. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The crew took the wrong decision to continue the flight when the weather conditions worsened. The pilot in command decided to cancel the intermediate stop and followed another route without prior permission, flew over a mountainous area without sufficient visual references with the ground, violating so the published procedures.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-45-DK near Magadan: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1948 at 1840 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1073
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – Magadan
MSN:
17054/34321
YOM:
8
Location:
Magadan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
1691
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky-Yelizovo Airport, the crew started the descent to Magadan in poor weather conditions. During the final approach, at a distance of 13 km from the runway threshold, the captain was unable to locate the runway and decided to descend to 500 meters, the decision altitude. Unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, he decided to abandon the approach, started a go around and diverted to the Seymchan Airport located some 350 km north of Magadan. Few minutes later, while cruising in poor visibility, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Marchekanskaya (707 meters high). A passenger was seriously injured while eight other occupants were killed. It appears the aircraft hit the mountain 70 meters below the summit.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of a controlled flight into terrain in poor visibility due to low ceiling. It was reported that, at the time of the accident, the person in charge to transmit weather information to the crew and based at the airport of Magadan was intoxicated.
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