Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B-2 in Moscow

Date & Time: May 21, 1986 at 1521 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-85327
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Abakan - Chelyabinsk - Moscow
MSN:
79A327
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
175
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
11922
Aircraft flight cycles:
4687
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Chelyabinsk to Moscow in relative good weather conditions, the crew started the descent to Moscow-Domodedovo when the weather conditions worsened. While descending to an altitude of 3,600 meters, the aircraft entered an area of heavy rain falls and icing (a cold front was passing over Moscow at that time). The Pitot tubes became obstructed, modifying some instruments settings. The airspeed indicator fell to zero and the crew thought the aircraft was near stall conditions so he initiated an emergency descent with a rate of descent of 100 meters per second and a speed of 813 km/h. The aircraft encountered positive acceleration of 3,2 g and suffered structural damages. The crew was able to divert to Moscow-Sheremetyevo Airport where an emergency landing was completed. All 185 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was later declared as damaged beyond repair due to irreparable damages to the main structure (fuselage).
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to prepare the light properly at Chelyabinsk Airport and failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist. Doing so, the crew forgot to activate the Pitot heating system. While descending to Moscow, the Pitot tube became obstructed by ice because they were not heated.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 near Kharkiv: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-69321
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dnipropetrovsk - Moscow
MSN:
19 017 08
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Aircraft flight hours:
14251
Aircraft flight cycles:
5707
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 7,500 meters on a cargo flight from Dnipropetrovsk to Moscow-Domodedovo Airport, the crew declared an emergency after the engine n°1 caught fire. The crew was cleared to reduce his altitude and to divert to Kharkiv Airport. On descent, the engine n°1 and the left wing partially detached due to intense fire. Out of control, the airplane nosed down to an angle of 90°, overturned and crashed in an open field located 6,5 west of Rakitnoye, about 31 km south of Kharkiv Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The engine n°1 caught fire in flight after a fuel line ruptured for unknown reasons.

Ground fire of an Antonov AN-8 in Moscow: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-69314
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
0B3420
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
5229
Aircraft flight cycles:
3090
Circumstances:
After leaving his parking place, the crew started the taxi procedure and increased engine power while maintaining pressure on brakes. The brake's temperature increased to 1,100 - 1,200° C. then a hydraulic line failed. The fluid leaked on hot brakes and a fire erupted. The crew stopped the airplane on a taxiway and an emergency evacuation was initiated. A crew member and a passenger were killed while eight other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Moscow: 16 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1973 at 2229 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42503
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kutaisi - Mineralnye Vody - Moscow
MSN:
0 2 19 01
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
SU964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
68
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Aircraft flight hours:
18300
Aircraft flight cycles:
10983
Circumstances:
The descent to Domodedovo Airport was initiated by night and marginal weather conditions with limited visibility due to snow falls. On final, the airplane was unstable and not properly aligned on the glide so the captain decided to make a turn to the left when the airplane banked left to 35-40°, causing the left wing to struck the ground 135 meters short of runway threshold and 25 meters to the right of its extended centerline. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames and came to rest 340 meters past the threshold and 220 meters to the left of the runway. Five crew members and seven passengers were killed while 63 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. Within 10 days after the accident, four other passengers died from their injuries.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew adopted a wrong approach configuration in marginal weather conditions and failed to initiate a go-around maneuver while the aircraft was not properly aligned on the glide and was unstable. The sharp turn completed by the captain caused the airplane to become uncontrollable and to crash.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Moscow: 122 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1973 at 2018 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42486
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kutaisi - Moscow
MSN:
0 2 15 04
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
SU964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
114
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
122
Aircraft flight hours:
16250
Aircraft flight cycles:
9776
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Kutaisi, the crew started the descent to Moscow-Domodedovo by night and good weather conditions. On approach at an altitude of 1,300 feet, the airplane banked left to an angle of 75° then nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion in a potatoes field located 16,3 km from the runway threshold. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 122 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control on approach was the consequence of the failure of artificial horizons as a result of a malfunction of the on-board electrical system. The combination of night, lack of visibility and flight instruments failure caused the pilot to suffer a spatial disorientation and the eventual loss of control.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12TB in Vorkuta

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-11360
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Amderma - Khatanga - Magadan
MSN:
4 028 05
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Moscow-Domodedovo to Amderma, the crew was informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions in Amderma and was cleared to divert to Vorkuta Airport. While on a night approach with a visibility limited to 850 meters, the captain was unable to locate the runway and decided to initiate a go-around when the airplane struck the ground, lost its undercarriage and crashed into a ravine located about 140 meters short of runway threshold. All eight occupants were evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to continue the approach in below-minima weather conditions and the decision of the captain to attempt a go-around was taken too late.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V near Magnitogorsk: 102 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1972 at 1019 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-74298
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Karaganda - Moscow
MSN:
182 0045 05
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
SU558
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
93
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
102
Aircraft flight hours:
10798
Aircraft flight cycles:
4249
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed Karaganda Airport at 0831LT on a schedule service (SU558) to Moscow-Domodedovo. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 7,200 meters, the crew informed ATC about smoke in the cabin and cockpit and request to divert to Magnitogorsk Airport for an emergency landing. During the descent, at a speed of 370 km/h, in a flat attitude, gears and flaps retracted, the airplane struck the ground and crashed in flames in an open field located 23 km north of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 102 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the disaster was the intensive development of a fire that broke out in the rear cargo hold, which led to a complete or partial loss of the crew's working capacity, the impossibility of visual flight and observation of instruments due to smoke in the cockpit and the exclusion of the possibility of a successful flight outcome. The most likely cause of the fire was the triggering of pyrotechnic devices, the ignition or self-ignition of flammable materials in the baggage of passengers whose traces were found in the remains of baggage.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Moscow: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75526
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow - Moscow
MSN:
183 0068 04
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Moscow-Domodedovo Airport. On final approach, he failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck power cables and crashed few hundred yards short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Moscow: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1967 at 0328 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75563
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow - Moscow
MSN:
184 0078 02
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
2264
Aircraft flight cycles:
929
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Krasnoyarsk to Moscow-Domodedovo, the crew was supposed to complete a positioning flight to Moscow-Vnukovo Airport on behalf of the 235th Separate Aviation Detachment for the Soviet Government. Less than two minutes after takeoff from Domodedovo Airport, while climbing by night, the pilot-in-command started a turn to the left according to published procedures when control was lost. The airplane entered a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in an open field located about 3 km past the runway end. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and debris scattered on a distance of 650 meters long by 180 meters wide. All eight crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determined the exact cause of the accident. All four engines were functioning properly at impact and some vibrations may have occur on both wings, maybe following ailerons issues.