Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Semipalatinsk

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
SemeiAvia
Registration:
UN-87233
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
9 53 18 42
YOM:
1975
Location:
Semipalatinsk
East Kazakhstan
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the aircraft landed at an excessive speed and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest few dozen metres further. All 18 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was written off.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 near Ucharal: 19 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Andijan – Semipalatinsk – Novosibirsk
Location:
Ucharal
Almaty Province
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
En route from Andijan to Semipalatinsk, the crew diverted to Ucharal for unknown reasons and was then cleared to descend to 600 metres. While descending to an altitude of 1,269 metres, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 21 km south of Ucharal Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 19 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the approach controller mistakenly cleared the crew to descend to the altitude of 600 metres while the minimum safe altitude for the area was fixed at 2,310 metres.

Crash of an Antonov AN-30RR in Semipalatinsk: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-30
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Semipalatinsk - Semipalatinsk-21
Location:
Semipalatinsk
Pavlodar
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
On a flight from Semipalatinsk to the Semipalatinsk-21 nuclear test site at night when the pilot decided to divert to Chagan because of below-minima weather conditions (snowfall and poor visibility). But the commander of the test site (who was on board) insisted on landing at Semipalatinsk-21. The crew continued the approach but encountered a snow flurry with zero visibility on final approach. Aircraft crashed close to the runway, broke in two parts and caught fire. Two crew were seriously injured while all 7 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Approach continued below minima weather conditions with no visual contact with the runway.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18B near Semipalatinsk: 63 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1973 at 0437 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75687
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Baku - Tashkent - Novosibirsk
MSN:
189 0012 02
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
SU6551
Location:
Semipalatinsk
Pavlodar
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
63
Aircraft flight hours:
21663
Aircraft flight cycles:
11787
Circumstances:
While cruising by night at an altitude of 7,800 meters in good weather conditions, the pilot-in-command initiated a turn to the left when control was lost. The airplane entered a dive and spiraled to the ground. At an altitude of 5,000 meters, some elements of the upper wing surface and the stabilisers detached and the airplane disintegrated in the air before crashing in a steppe located about 84 km south of Semipalatinsk. Wings and stabilisers parts were found at a distance of some 3.5 km from the crash site. All 63 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. The assumption that the aircraft collided with an object was not ruled out. It is believed the crew may have start an emergency descent but the reason of this manoeuvre could not be established. FDR could not be read properly as it was seriously damaged in the crash.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Semipalatinsk: 32 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1973 at 1859 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-87602
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Semipalatinsk-Ust-Kamenogorsk
MSN:
9120118
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
SU167X
Location:
Semipalatinsk
Pavlodar
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Aircraft flight hours:
1798
Aircraft flight cycles:
1814
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Semipalatinsk Airport, while climbing to a height of 100 meters, the airplane lots height then struck the ground in a relative flat attitude and crashed in a huge explosion in a snow covered field located 1,457 meters past the runway end. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 32 occupants were killed, among them 11 female members of the Kyzylorda Basketball Team accompanied by their coach and one judge.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. Eyewitnesses among them the air traffic controller working in the tower saw a huge flash in the sky prior to the accident. Various analysis did not find any trace of explosives.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Semipalatinsk

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1972
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-33233
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G57-36
YOM:
1965
Location:
Semipalatinsk
Pavlodar
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew decided to land on an unsuitable site located near Semipalatinsk and the aircraft suffered an accident while trying to takeoff from that site. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18B in Almaty: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1966 at 1036 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75665
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Almaty – Semipalatinsk – Moscow
MSN:
188 0007 04
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
SU019X
Location:
Almaty
Almaty Province
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
8407
Aircraft flight cycles:
4440
Circumstances:
During take-off roll in poor weather conditions, the engine number 3 failed (probably due to the ingestion of wet snow). The aircraft veered off the snow covered runway to the right after a roll of 550 meters, got briefly airborne with a high angle of attack until the tail struck a 70 cm high mound. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in flames onto a hillside located 1,400 meters further on, by a river. Two passengers and a crew member were killed while all 65 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the engine number three during the takeoff roll due to a massive ingestion of wet snow that was thrown out from the right main gear.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18B in Almaty: 64 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1965 at 0003 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75685
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow – Omsk – Semipalatinsk – Almaty
MSN:
189 0011 05
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
SU101
Location:
Almaty
Almaty Province
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
95
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
64
Aircraft flight hours:
6802
Circumstances:
The crew started the approach to Almaty Airport by night in below minima weather conditions. Despite the situation, the pilot continued the approach and let the aircraft pass below the glide. Suddenly, the airplane struck trees, banked right to an angle of 15° the crashed in flames in a snow covered field located 75 meters short of runway threshold. The wreckage was found 600 meters to the right of the extended centerline and the aircraft was destroyed upon impact. Three crew members and 64 passengers were killed while 39 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to continue the approach below minima weather conditions by night. The pilot-in-command failed to take the decision to go around. Poor ATC assistance was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Semipalatinsk: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1960 at 0936 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-33181
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Semipalatinsk – Abay
MSN:
1145 473 17
YOM:
14
Location:
Semipalatinsk
Pavlodar
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Aircraft flight hours:
149
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Semipalatinsk Airport at 0917LT on a flight to Abay, carrying 10 passengers and two pilots. About fifteen minutes after takeoff, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a sky broken from 600 to 1,000 meters, snow falls, wind up to 45 km/h and a visibility between 4 and 6 km. In such conditions, ATC instructed the crew to return to Semipalatinsk and the crew confirmed this instruction when the contact was lost at 0936LT. SAR operations were conducted and the burned wreckage was found in a snow covered field located 35 km south of Semipalatinsk. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Investigations determined that the immediate cause of the accident was a loss of speed resulting in a stall of the aircraft due to a loss of longitudinal controllability when the aircraft's center of gravity moved beyond the range of 40-42% of the envelope. The movement of the CofG occurred when several passengers moved from the rear of the cabin (toilet). Poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew who failed to check the weather conditions properly and the lack of visibility were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m near Koksu: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1944 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L40
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Alma Ata – Semipalatinsk – Kuybyshev
MSN:
3325
Location:
Koksu
Almaty Province
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a ferry flight from Alma Ata to Kuybyshev with an intermediate stop in Semipalatinsk. En route, the pilot in command deviated from the prescribed flight path to the east in order to circumvent an area of poor weather and overflew high mountains. As he was unable to gain sufficient height, the three engine aircraft stalled and crashed at a height of some 2,700 meters into the steep wall of a gorge near a pass over the khrebet Dzhil-Dhuta mountain range (3,050 meters), about 15 km northwest of Koksu. All six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The decision of the crew to modify their route to the east was wrong. It was preferable to fly to the west to avoid the mountain range, especially in poor weather conditions. It was reported that the navigator was not aware of the presence of mountains above the altitude of 3,000 meters, which was considered as a contributory factor. Also, deficiencies were pointed out with flight planification and the operations of the company.
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