Zone
Varna

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154A in Varna

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-154
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-BTD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Stockholm - Varna
MSN:
74A058
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
LZ7022
Location:
Varna
Varna
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
127
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Varna Airport was completed in poor weather conditions with a limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. The aircraft landed too far down a wet runway 27 and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its nose gear and came to rest. All 134 occupants, most of them Swedish tourists, were evacuated safely, nevertheless several passengers suffered minor injuries. The aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Sofia: 29 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-DOK
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sofia - Varna
MSN:
9 62 02 47
YOM:
1976
Location:
Sofia-Vrazhdebna
Sofia Province
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 09 at Sofia-Vrazhdebna Airport, the three engine aircraft was unable to rotate and failed to become airborne. It overran and crashed in a ditch, bursting into flames. Eight occupants were seriously injured while 29 others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the Sofia Airport should be momentarily closed to traffic because the Presidential Tupolev TU-154 of the Republic of Bulgaria was scheduled to takeoff with the Bulgarian President Todor Zhivkov on board. Large delays were expected so ATC cleared the crew to take off but asked him to expedite takeoff. In a certain confusion and in the rush, the crew failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist and forgot to set the trim correctly. As the stabilizer was incorrectly set in the down position, the aircraft was unable to rotate and overran the runway before crashing.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Beirut: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1977 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LZA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Warsaw - Varna - Beirut
MSN:
6 3 443 07
YOM:
1966
Location:
Beirut
Beirut Governorate
Country:
Lebanon
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Warsaw to Beirut with an intermediate stop in Varna, carrying a crew of nine and a load of frozen meat. While approaching Beirut at an altitude of 2,100 feet, the four engine airplane struck power cables and crashed on rocky terraces located 8 km from runway 21 threshold. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all nine occupants were killed. It was reported that ATC transmitted several instructions to the crew that failed to respond, maybe due to language issues.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Sofia: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-ANA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sofia - Varna
MSN:
67302708
YOM:
1966
Location:
Sofia-Vrazhdebna
Sofia Province
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
42
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While parked on apron at Sofia-Vrazhdebna Airport, the airplane was deiced and the snow was removed before the crew was cleared to taxi to runway 10 for takeoff. However, the runway was closed for snow removal. When this was done, the crew was cleared for takeoff and just after liftoff from runway 10, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed on a bank of the Iskar River located by the airport. The copilot was killed and two passengers drowned. All other occupants were rescued, some of them were injured.
Probable cause:
The hold over time (HOT) between the deicing time and the takeoff time was too long and a significant amount of snow accumulated on the fuselage, wings and all critical surfaces. In such conditions, the aircraft was unable to take off. The crew failed to request a second deicing.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 in Varna: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Bulgarian Air Force - Bulgarski Voennov Azdushni Sili
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sofia - Varna
Location:
Varna
Varna
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On approach to Varna in poor visibility (clouds down to 160 metres) when deviated from the approach pattern and crashed into a hill (300-350 metres). All six crew killed.
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