Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Liepaja: 43 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1967 at 0836 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-46215
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Riga - Liepaja
MSN:
67302909
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
SU051
Location:
Liepaja
Courland (Kurzeme)
Country:
Latvia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
43
Aircraft flight hours:
1934
Circumstances:
On final approach to Liepaja Airport, while at an altitude of 300 meters at a speed of 300 km/h, the crew was unable to locate the runway nor the approach lights. In such conditions, the captain decided to make a go-around and increased engine power when the left engine failed. The aircraft banked left to an angle of 40°. Due to high drag, it lost height then struck the snow covered ground 1,800 meters past the outer marker, bounced and struck a telegraphic pole that torn off three meters of the left wing. Out of control, it continued for 1,410 meters before crashing in flames in an open field. Eight occupants survived while 43 others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine for undetermined reason, maybe due the failure of a turbine component.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18B in Riga

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75653
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow – Riga
MSN:
188 0005 02
YOM:
1958
Location:
Riga
Vidzeme (Vidūmō)
Country:
Latvia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Riga Airport was completed in a reduced visibility due to foggy conditions. The aircraft landed long and after touchdown, was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its nose gear and came to rest in a field located 200 meters from the Daugava River. All six crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Vilnius: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1959 at 0954 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-84587
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Vilnius – Riga – Saint-Petersburg
MSN:
184 315 07
YOM:
0
Flight number:
SU345
Location:
Vilnius
Apskritis of Vilnius
Country:
Lithuania
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
13210
Circumstances:
Rotation from Vilnius Airport was completed at a speed of 115 km/h. After liftoff, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height due to a high angle of attack. In stall conditions, the aircraft lost height, causing the left wing to struck the ground. Out of control, the airplane struck a ditch and two poles before coming to rest in flames 1,400 meters past the departure point. A crew member was killed while four other crews were seriously injured. All four passengers were unhurt and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Wrong takeoff configuration on part of the captain who departed with an insufficient speed and a too high angle of attack after liftoff. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 79 kilos above the MTOW, which was not considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Copenhagen: 23 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1957 at 0630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1874
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Moscow – Riga – Copenhagen
MSN:
1460 006 07
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
SU103
Location:
Copenhagen
Hovedstaden
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Captain / Total flying hours:
14000
Circumstances:
While descending to Copenhagen-Kastrup Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds, fog and a limited visibility. At 0617LT, the airplane passed over the Kastrup Airfield at an altitude of 1,500 meters and ATC instructed the crew to start a new approach to runway 12. Due to language difficulties, the crew did not understand properly some of the instructions. Nevertheless, four minutes later, he started an approach to runway 12. Due to low visibility, the captain reduced his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the airplane hit the chimney of the Ørsted Electric Factory located 6,7 km short of runway 12. Upon impact, the right wing was sheared off and the airplane crashed into the Sydhavnen canal. The airplane sank by 5 meters depth and all 23 occupants were killed, among them one Danish, 2 British, one American and three West-German citizens.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew continued the approach under VFR in IFR conditions and that the pilot-in-command reduced his altitude below the minimum prescribed altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground until the right wing contacted an obstacle. Russian investigators considered that the ATC assistance was insufficient, that weather information transmitted to the crew was incomplete and that the landing clearance was given too early as the crew had two hours fuel reserve and that they should wait for weather improvement.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Moscow: 13 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1946 at 1830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L946
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Berlin – Riga – Moscow
MSN:
14572/26017
YOM:
16
Location:
Moscow-Vnukovo
Moscow oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
1675
Circumstances:
On approach to Moscow, the crew was instructed to stack over the airport due to poor weather conditions. More than two hours later, the crew informed ATC that he was short of fuel and received the permission to attempt to land. On final approach, by low visibility due to foggy conditions, the captain was unable to locate the runway and decided to make a go around. The airplane climbed to a height of 15 meters and then stalled and crashed in a wooded area located 700 meters short of runway threshold. Thirteen passengers were killed while 13 other occupants were injured. Most of the passenger were flying to Moscow to take part in celebrations of the October Revolution.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115E in Berlin

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
D-ABOW
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Berlin - Riga
MSN:
1365
YOM:
1935
Location:
Berlin-Tempelhof
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Berlin-Tempelhof Airport, a fuel leak occurred and the captain decided to return to his departure point. The crew completed a low pass over the airport, at a height of some 80 meters, and then attempted a steep turn to join the runway when the aircraft stalled and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed while all occupants survived.
Probable cause:
Fuel leakage.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 off Riga: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Registration:
M7+CK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
3508
Location:
Riga
Vidzeme (Vidūmō)
Country:
Latvia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed for unknown reasons into the sea off Riga. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Karl Grein, pilot,
Uffz Heinrich Haarmann, observer,
Gefr Georg Starringer, radio operator,
Gefr Josef Frey, air gunner.

Crash of a Dornier DO.18D-3 off Riga: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.18
Operator:
Registration:
CC+VA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
728
YOM:
1939
Location:
Riga
Vidzeme (Vidūmō)
Country:
Latvia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The floatplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Riga. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Heinrich Kiel, pilot,
Oblt Günther Lüdemann, observer,
Uffz Günther Holk, radio operator,
Hgefr Richard Horst, mechanic.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88 in Riga

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
3501
Location:
Riga
Vidzeme (Vidūmō)
Country:
Latvia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in Riga following an engine failure. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Lt Anton Scheinsteiger, pilot,
Gefr Hans Albers, observer,
Gefr Herbert Schulz, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
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