Shakhty | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Shakhty Airport, Rostov oblast, the pilot encountered engine problem. He elected to make an emergency landing in an open field located 500 metres from the airport. On touchdown, the aircraft lost its undercarriage, wings and tail before coming to rest in bushes. The pilot, uninjured, fled the scene but was arrested by police few hours later. Technician by a Plant at the Shakhty Airport, he was the owner of this aircraft since seven months and was performing a local test flight despite he was not in possession of any valid pilot licence according to Russian authorities.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Tula: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1997

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Tula Air Enterprise - Tulskoe Aviapredpriatie

Registration:

RA-84700

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tula - Shakhty

MSN:

1G192-18

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Tula Airport, while climbing, the crew noticed that the engine oil temperature increased while the engine pressure dropped. In such conditions, the captain decided to return to Tula Airport for an emergency landing and completed a turn when the engine failed. The aircraft lost speed and height then struck power cables and crashed. The captain and three passengers were killed while three other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The following factors were identified:
- Engine failure as a result of the destruction of the bushing of the crankshaft of the main connecting rod due to a manufacturing defect in the absence of adhesion of bronze to the steel base of the bushing on a sufficiently large section,
- An unused chip-in-oil signaling system, due to the fact that the engine was not equipped with a chip signaling filter during repair, which deprived the crew of information about the beginning of the collapse of the sleeve and did not allow a timely decision to return to the departure point;
- Difficult terrain with the presence of various obstacles.