Uralsk | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

For unknown reasons, the crew was forced to divert to Uralsk (Kazakhstan) Airport. On final approach by night and poor weather conditions, the pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed 1,340 metres short of runway threshold. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all six occupants were injured.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Natalin Yar: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1977 at 1459 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-32112

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Urgench – Uralsk – Penza – Myashkovo

MSN:

1G93-18

YOM:

1968

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

5950

Aircraft flight cycles:

19234

Circumstances:

A group of seven PZL-Mielec AN-2 must be transferred from Urgench, Uzbekistan, to Myashkovo, with intermediate stops in Uralsk and Penza, carrying mechanics and crew members. En route from Uralsk to Penza, while cruising at an altitude of 500 meters, both aircraft registered CCCP-28938 and CCCP-32112 entered a cloudy area with light rain. They collided then entered a dive and crashed in flames 350 meters further, 25 meters from each other. Both aircraft were totally destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Poor flight preparation and planning as all crew and the people in charge of the mission failed to analyze weather conditions en route. The collision occurred while both crew were flying under VFR mode in adverse weather conditions.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Natalin Yar: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1977 at 1459 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-28938

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Urgench – Uralsk – Penza – Myashkovo

MSN:

1G08-23

YOM:

1961

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

10058

Aircraft flight cycles:

27097

Circumstances:

Probable cause:

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Uralsk

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1458

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Moscow – Uralsk – Aktyubinsk

MSN:

83 025 25

YOM:

1948

Flight number:

SU069

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Uralsk Airport, the captain decided to activate the afterburner without informing the rest of the crew. The takeoff roll was longer than expected and he completed the rotation after a run of 750 meters. After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 2-3 meters at a speed of 160 km/h, the captain prematurely ordered the retraction of the landing gear. In a certain confusion, the board mechanic shut down both engines instead of retracting the gears. The aircraft flew for about 605 meters then descended to the ground, rolled for 211 meters and struck a railway embankment and telephone pole. On impact, the airplane lost its undercarriage and slid for several yards before coming to rest. While all five crew members were injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew and lack of crew resources management and coordination. The captain took the decision to activate the afterburner system without any announcement to the rest of the crew and during the takeoff roll and not prior to takeoff which is against the published procedures. This caused a certain confusion in the cockpit.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Konstantinovski: 27 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1958 at 0318 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1692

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Frunze – Aktyubinsk – Uralsk – Moscow

MSN:

7 34 23 04

YOM:

Flight number:

SU164

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2564

Circumstances:

Enroute from Aktyubinsk to Uralsk, while cruising at an altitude of 1,500 meters in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft was hit by lightning. The crew lost control of the aircraft which dove into the ground and crashed in a field located 4 km southeast of Konstantinovski, in the region of Aktyubinsk. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 27 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was struck by a lightning in-flight. Discharge went through the port control cables of the left aileron located on the left wing, behind the rear spar of the center wing between the 4th and 5th section. As a result, the crew was paralyzed or in a state of shock and the control of the airplane was lost instantly. The following factors were reported:
- Presence of thunderstorm activity,
- Overheating and rupture of the control cables on the left aileron due to the exposure to high temperatures,
- The crew was unable to send any distress call,
- The dive was quick, uncontrollable and at an excessive speed,
- The crew was unable to attempt an emergency landing in night conditions,
- Employees at the meteorological station in Aktyubinsk did not indicate any thunderstorm in the weather forecast,
- The observer at the weather station of Novoalekseevka noted the presence of a thunderstorm but failed to report it to the Aktyubinsk weather station, violating the published procedures.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 in Uralsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1938 at 1115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-T210

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Uralsk - Uralsk

MSN:

9839

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

Aircraft flight cycles:

162

Circumstances:

The crew departed Uralsk for a local training flight. After completing two slight turns at a height of about 250 metres, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed near the airfield. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of an aircraft that was not airworthy. After being partially dismantled four months ago, the control column was not properly fixed and the crew decided to make a local training flight. The CofA was not valid anymore since it expired last April 1st. The loss of control occurred at an altitude where the crew was unable to expect recovery.

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

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1731

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Uralsk – Guryev

MSN:

9474

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1281

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Uralsk on a cargo flight to Guryev, carrying two crew members and a load of 400 kg of fret and mail. En route, weather conditions worsened. Due to poor visibility, the pilot made an emergency landing near the village of Kalmykovo. About an hour later, as the visibility seems to be better, he took off again. The airplane failed to arrive at destination. The wreckage was found near the village of Orlik. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The following factors were identified:
- The pilot decided to continue the flight in poor visibility (between 50 and 200 metres) and failed to return,
- Lack of discipline,
- Overconfidence,
- The weather bulletin transmitted to the crew prior to departure from Uralsk were incomplete and inaccurate.