Crash of a Let L-410UVP near Saratov

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1987
Type of aircraft:
Let L-410
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-67334
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
82 08 34
YOM:
1982
Location:
Saratov
Saratov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, both engines failed simultaneously. The crew reduced his altitude and completed a belly landing in a pasture located in the region of Saratov. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and there were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight for unknown reasons.

Crash of an Avia 14P in Penza: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1960 at 2158 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avia 14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-52025
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leningrad – Penza – Saratov
MSN:
051 704 114
YOM:
29
Location:
Penza
Penza oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
4382
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Leningrad to Saratov with an intermediate stop at Penza, carrying a load of refrigerator spare parts. After takeoff from Penza Airport, while climbing by night, the airplane banked left to 40° then stalled and crashed in flames in a field located 2 km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control during initial climb was caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on both engines and propeller blades. Due to a poor flight preparation and a wrong interpretation of the weather conditions, the captain decided to takeoff in freezing rain. The assumption that all speed indicators, altimeters and variometers were unserviceable at the time of the accident was not ruled out. Also, both engines did not run at impact.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DK in Saratov: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1945 at 1545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L866
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kuybyshev – Saratov
MSN:
12601
YOM:
1944
Location:
Saratov
Saratov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
1056
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Kuybyshev to Saratov-Razboyshchina Airport with a load of various goods for a total weight of 2,089 kilos. On approach to Saratov, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a visibility limited to 800 metres due to fog. Despite below minima conditions, the captain decided to continue the approach and completed a last turn to join the glide when the aircraft stalled and crashed about 5 km from the airport, on the slope of the Korolyov Sad ravine, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew who decided to continue the approach in below minima conditions and failed to return to Kuybyshev for a safe landing. Poor flight organisation by the operations and inadequate information transmitted to the crew concerning the weather forecast which did not reflect the actual conditions.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-196 in Saratov: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1943 at 1615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
URSS-B
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Baku – Astrakhan – Saratov – Moscow
MSN:
2035
YOM:
1943
Location:
Saratov
Saratov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew decided to take off in the direction of rising ground as there was some side wind in the normal takeoff direction. The aircraft lifted off close to the end of the runway, made a turn at low height and low speed in order to come clear of the hill ahead, stalled, came down and collided with an earth wall. The copilot was killed while all 19 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew who decided to takeoff from the wrong runway considering the wind direction (11 km/h cross wind). The reaction of the copilot during the initial climb was erroneous and the supervision of the captain was inappropriate.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Saratov

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3973
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kuybyshev – Saratov – Astrakhan – Baku
MSN:
184 18 10
YOM:
1941
Location:
Saratov
Saratov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kuybyshev on a flight to Baku with intermediate stops in Saratov and Astrakhan. Shortly after takeoff from Saratov Airport, while in initial climb, both engines lost power, causing the airplane to stall and to crash. All 13 occupants were rescued, among them five were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power caused by a mismanagement of the fuel supply system on part of the crew. It was determined that at the time of the accident, both engines were feeded by the main left tank that was almost empty while sufficient fuel remained on other tanks.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Saratov: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1941
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3989
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Saratov - Saratov
MSN:
184 21 08
YOM:
1941
Location:
Saratov
Saratov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
During the night from 7 to 8 November 1941, the airplane was damaged (empennage and ailerons) by a storm at Saratov Airport. Technicians proceeded to repairs from 8 to 28 November. On November 29, 4 crew members were engaged in a local test flight. Shortly after liftoff, while in initial climb, the pilot initiated a turn to the left when the airplane rolled to the right and crashed. A crew member was killed and three others were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the ailerons control cables were wrongly reassembled by the ground technicians in charge of the maintenance.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Ivanovka: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-Sh913
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Balashov - Saratov
MSN:
9070
YOM:
1934
Location:
Ivanovka
Saratov 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:
67
Aircraft flight cycles:
204
Circumstances:
The crew consisting of two cadets departed Balashov Airport on a training flight to Saratov. Prior to takeoff at 0900LT, the crew was instructed not to enter clouds and not flying below the minimum altitude of 300 metres. After takeoff from Balashov Airport, bound for the south, the aircraft entered clouds. The pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near the village of Ivanovka, some 20 km south of the Balashov Airport. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a loss of control while flying in clouds. The pilot, a cadet, was inexperienced in such flight conditions. Poor flight preparation and supervision.
Subscribe to Saratov