Crash of a De Havilland Dash-8-Q402 in Vilnius

Date & Time: Sep 12, 2007 at 0136 LT
Operator:
Registration:
LN-RDS
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Copenhagen - Palanga
MSN:
4035
YOM:
2001
Flight number:
SK2748
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7928
Captain / Total hours on type:
291.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4674
Copilot / Total hours on type:
262
Aircraft flight hours:
11366
Aircraft flight cycles:
14224
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Copenhagen-Kastrup AIrport on a flight to Palanga with 48 passengers and a crew of 4 on board. Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the descent. At an altitude of about 2,000 feet, the crew selected the landing gear down. However, the right-hand main gear extended but did not lock down and the landing gear doors did not close. The approach was abandoned and the crew initiated a go-around. During the second attempt to land, the crew recycled the system but the warning remained so the decision was taken to divert to Vilnius. On approach, the crew attempted to release the undercarriage using a backup system, but the undercarriage control panel still showed an unsafe warning. The right engine was shut down and the propeller was feathered prior to landing. Upon touchdown, the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft veered off runway and came to rest 40 metres further, some 1,150 metres pas the runway threshold. All 52 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The aircraft accident was caused by the separation of the piston rod of the extension/retraction actuator from the rod end during right hand main landing gear extension due to thread connection corrosion. The freely falling landing gear broke the apex hinge lugs of the stabilizer sections, the right hand landing gear did not lock in the extended position and collapse occurred when the aircraft was rolling after landing.
Final Report:

Crash of a Tupolev TU-124V in Karacharovo: 51 killed

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1973 at 1910 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45061
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vilnius - Moscow
MSN:
4 35 14 06
YOM:
1964
Flight number:
SU2022
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
51
Aircraft flight hours:
14903
Aircraft flight cycles:
13832
Circumstances:
The crew was cleared to descent to 5,700 meters when a technical issue occurred on the elevator trim system. The airplane entered a dive and during the descent, the captain was able to regain control at an altitude of 2,000 meters. While flying by night, the gyro failed and the pilot suffered a spatial disorientation. So he lost again control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in a near vertical attitude at a speed of 900 km/h in an open field located about 480 meters from Karacharovo. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 51 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
An electrical short-circuit occurred in the elevator trim system, causing the elevator to be jammed in a down position. In such conditions, the airplane entered a dive and became uncontrollable after the gyro failed as well.

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

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-05820
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G15-08
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the aircraft suffered an engine failure, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing near Vilnius. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-124 in Lihovka Zapolishki: 37 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1970 at 1537 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45012
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mineralnye Vody - Rostov-on-Don - Vilnius
MSN:
1 35 04 02
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
SU3630
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Aircraft flight hours:
7504
Aircraft flight cycles:
6996
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Rostov-on-Don Airport at 1455LT and reached the assigned altitude of 8,400 meters at 1514LT. At this time, ATC instructed the crew to climb to 9,000 meters due to traffic ahead. The new altitude of 9,000 meters was reached two minutes later at 1516LT. While cruising in good weather conditions, the crew sent a brief message and mentioned the number '45' followed by a long pause. A second message was heard on the frequency with the number 'zero' then a third message with the pilot shouting the number '12'. Then the contact was definitely interrupted and the airplane entered a dive. During the descent, it reached the speed of 950 km/h and banked left to an angle of 75° before crashing in a cornfield located about 90 km from Dniepropetrovsk and 57 km from Krementchug. At impact, the airplane caused a huge crater and the accident was not survivable.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. Nevertheless, the following facts were reported:
- There was no in-flight collision,
- There was no in-flight fire prior to impact,
- No military operations were in place in that area at the time of the accident,
- Both engines were turning at idle at impact.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Vilnius: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1959 at 0954 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-84587
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vilnius – Riga – Saint-Petersburg
MSN:
184 315 07
YOM:
0
Flight number:
SU345
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
13210
Circumstances:
Rotation from Vilnius Airport was completed at a speed of 115 km/h. After liftoff, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height due to a high angle of attack. In stall conditions, the aircraft lost height, causing the left wing to struck the ground. Out of control, the airplane struck a ditch and two poles before coming to rest in flames 1,400 meters past the departure point. A crew member was killed while four other crews were seriously injured. All four passengers were unhurt and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Wrong takeoff configuration on part of the captain who departed with an insufficient speed and a too high angle of attack after liftoff. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 79 kilos above the MTOW, which was not considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Moscow: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1946 at 1855 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4207
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vilnius – Moscow
MSN:
184 209 08
YOM:
0
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1290
Circumstances:
On approach to Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, the crew was instructed to stack over the area due to poor weather conditions. Four times, the pilot attempted to land, but was forced to make a go around. After 75 minutes, the pilot informed ATC he was short of fuel and was assisted because one of the radio-compass was out of service. On final approach, both engines failed simultaneously and the aircraft stalled and crashed few hundred yards short of runway. A passenger was killed while all other occupants were rescued. The aircraft was written off. Most of the passenger were flying to Moscow to take part in celebrations of the October Revolution.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure caused by fuel exhaustion.