Crash of a Piper PA-46-500TP Malibu Meridian in Västerås

Date & Time: Feb 13, 2015 at 1203 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-46 (Malibu/Meridian/Mirage/Matrix/M-Class)
Operator:
Volando Aviation
Registration:
N164ST
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Västerås – Prague
MSN:
46-97064
YOM:
2001
Location:
Västerås
Västmanland
Country:
Sweden
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
674
Captain / Total hours on type:
184.00
Aircraft flight hours:
2767
Circumstances:
The aircraft, a Piper PA46-500TP Malibu Meridian, should carry out a private flight from Västeras airport to Prague. On board were a pilot and two passengers. Shortly after take-off an engine failure occurred and the pilot decided to make an emergency landing on Björnö Island, situated slightly to the right in the flight direction. The aircraft hit the ground with the left wing first and then rolled a number of times before it came to a final stop. During the accident both wings and parts of the tail separated from the aircraft. The fuselage remained relatively undamaged during the crash course. All three occupants escaped with minor injuries. A special study of the sequence of events shows that the impact, with the left wing first, caused the airplane's wings to act as shock absorbers, which greatly contributed to that the occupants only received minor injuries. During the accident - which occurred next to a secondary protection zone for water supply to the city of Västerås – a significant amount of fuel leaked out from the wreckage. The accident site was decontaminated after the accident. Examination undertaken in the area after the accident has not showed any trace of residual contamination in the soil.
Probable cause:
The engine failure was caused by damage to the engine's power turbine section. Most likely, the damage has been initiated in a labyrinth seal to the power turbine. The cause of the initial damage of the seal has not been established. The technical failure can not be assessed to be in a risk category where the risk of repeated failures of the same type is high. The accident was caused by damage to the power turbine which occurred over time, and that could not be identified by the engine's maintenance program.
Final Report:

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104A in Tripoli: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1970 at 0512 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-104
Operator:
Registration:
OK-NDD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Prague - Tripoli
MSN:
9 66 018 03
YOM:
1959
Location:
Tripoli
Tripoli (طرابلس)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
On final approach to runway 18, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and poor visibility due to fog. Unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, the captain decided to make a go-around. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land on runway 18 was also abandoned for the same reason. In such conditions, the crew decided to change the circuit and initiated an approach from the south to runway 36. At a speed of 350 km/h, the airplane struck the ground and crashed in flames about 5,5 km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The crew continued the approach at an insufficient altitude in reduced visibility.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Forchheim: 52 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1961 at 2009 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
OK-OAD
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Prague – Zurich – Rabat – Dakar – Conakry – Bamako
MSN:
180 0021 02
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
OK511
Location:
Forchheim
Bavaria
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
52
Captain / Total flying hours:
8572
Captain / Total hours on type:
354.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
11019
Copilot / Total hours on type:
179
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet over Bavaria, the four engine aircraft disappeared from radar screens at 2009LT and crashed in a field located near Forchheim, north of Nuremberg. The crew was unable to send any distress call prior to the crash. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 52 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
In the light of the investigations undertaken, it is probable that the accident occurred in one of the following ways, although the possibility of other causes cannot be ruled out:
a) Forced descent causing the aircraft to exceed the structural stress factor in the approach manoeuvre or during the pull-out owing to:
1) The aircraft falling into an uncontrollable flight position because of a defect in an artificial horizon or an electric instrument of equal importance. In air transport flight incidents throughout the world, where unintentional steep dives have occurred, such incidents can be explained by a defect in an artificial horizon,
2) An unnoticed over control of the electrical rudder or aileron trim adjustment occurring when the automatic pilot was operating with flight movements resulting therefrom after the automatic pilot was disconnected. The automatic pilot was not equipped with a trim servo-indicator to give warning of excessive trim adjustment,
3) Physical incapacity of one or both pilots.
b) Intentional descent owing to the presence of smoke, fire or similar emergency, during which the structural stress factor was exceeded in the approach manoeuvre or in the pull-out.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2P in Polná

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1954 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
HA-LIF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Budapest – Prague – Berlin
MSN:
184 256 04
YOM:
1951
Location:
Polná
Vysočina Region (Vysočina)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Budapest to Prague, the crew encountered icing conditions and subsequently some difficulties. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing near Polná. Upon landing in a snow covered field, the airplane lost its undercarriage and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest with both wings bent. All 33 occupants were evacuated and a Finnish female passenger was seriously injured.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2P in Bratroňov

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1954 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
HA-LII
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Budapest – Prague
MSN:
184 270 06
YOM:
1951
Location:
Bratroňov
Pardubice Region (Pardubický kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Budapest to Prague, the crew encountered icing conditions and subsequently some difficulties. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing near Bratroňov, south of Pardubice. The aircraft belly landed in a snow covered field and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest with its left engine sheared off. All 19 occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C in Vřesovice: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1952 at 1958 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
D-21
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Prague – Brno
MSN:
19474
YOM:
1944
Location:
Vřesovice
South Moravian Region (Jihomoravský kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
4789
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight in Czechoslovakia, carrying a load of newspapers on behalf of the national career CSA Czech Airlines. While on a night approach to Brno-Tuřany Airport, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Bradlo (548 meters high) located in the Chriby Mountain Range, about 2,5 km northwest of Vřesovice. The wreckage was found 35 km east of Tuřany Airport and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Větroň Antonín,
Antal Viliam,
Dvořák Jiří,
Gregr František,
Koval Vlastimil.
Probable cause:
Following several errors, the flying crew started the descent prematurely. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was at an insufficient altitude of 550 meters instead of the minimum altitude fixed at 1,800 meters in this area. Low visibility caused by night and marginal weather conditions prevented the crew to see the mountain, which was considered as a contributory factor. The Czech Authorities confirmed that the flight should normally be scheduled by the national career CSA but due to poor weather conditions, the CSA crew refused to fly. Thus, a military crew was engaged for this flight despite his lack of training in such weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DK on Mt Praděd: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1950 at 0731 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
OK-WDY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ostrava – Prague
MSN:
12725
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Praděd
Moravian-Silesian Region (Moravskoslezský kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
About thirty minutes after his departure from Ostrava Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with drizzle, low visibility and strong winds gusting to 90 km/h. While cruising at an altitude of 1,440 meters, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Praděd (1,491 meters high). The aircraft was destroyed and rescuers arrived on site few hours later. Three crew members and two passengers were killed.
Crew killed were:
Vaclav Soukup, pilot,
Augustin Korotvička, radio operator,
Richard Olšovský, flight engineer.
Passengers killed were:
Jan Kloda,
Ladislav Škrabálek.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of a faulty navigation on part of the crew. Low visibility caused by poor weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of an Aero C.3B in Třemošnice: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1949 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
UB-1
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Prostějov – Prague
MSN:
408
Location:
Třemošnice
Pardubice Region (Pardubický kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route, weather conditions worsened and the pilot-in-command decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the airplane hit trees and crashed in a dense wooded area. Three crew members were injured while the pilot, Cpt Antonín Ocelka, was killed.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Plouznice: 13 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1947 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
YR-TAI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bucharest – Prague
MSN:
184 235 09
YOM:
1946
Location:
Plouznice
Liberec Region (Liberecký kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Enroute from Bucharest to Prague, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds. The pilot lost his orientation due to fog and decided to reduce his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area. Thirteen passengers were rescued, among them Arel Grigoresco, ambassador of Romania in Prague, while thirteen other occupants were killed, among them all five crew members.
Probable cause:
Due to poor weather conditions, the crew decided to fly at an insufficient altitude, neglecting navigational rules. It appears that radio failed in flight, which was considered as a contributory factor.
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