Nasosny AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Five minutes after takeoff from Nasosny AFB, the engine n°1 suffered an uncontained failure. The crew elected to return when the engine caught fire and detached few minutes later. The left wing caught fire as well and on short final, it detached. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in the Caspian Sea about 5,250 meters short of runway 18 threshold and 500 meters offshore. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 57 occupants were killed. The passengers were paratroopers returning to their base in Zhovtneve (near Bolgrad, Ukraine) after being dispatched in Baku to maintain order following a popular uprising.

Probable cause:

Failure and fire of the engine n°1 following a intershaft bearing failure.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-76M in Leninakan: 78 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1988 at 2000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-76

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-86732

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nasosny AFB – Leninakan

MSN:

0834 13388

YOM:

1978

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on its way to Leninakan to drop soldiers, first aid, medics and goods for the victims of the recent earthquake. On final approach at night, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens after it struck the slope of a mountain located 15 km from the airport. All 9 crew members and 68 of the 69 passengers were killed. A survivor was found among the debris (he was seating on the deck of a truck parked in the cargo compartment) but unfortunately died the following day.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by an error on part of the crew who set a wrong altimeter pressure prior to descend to Leninakan Airport. The wrong altimeter setting (734 mm instead of 634 mm) caused the aircraft to descent below the minimum prescribed altitude by 1,100 metres.