Vologda | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was completing a ferry flight from Veliky Ustyug to Vologda and initiated the descent by night and poor weather conditions with fog and reduced visibility. On short final, the aircraft passed below the glide and at a height of 20 meters, it struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area located short of runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and three crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured. At the time of the accident, the visibility was 700 meters, well below minimums, but the crew was informed about a visibility of 1,500 meters.

Probable cause:

It was determined that people at Vologda Airport (ATC, meteo,...) falsified weather bulletins to allow certain aircraft to land. The crew was also blamed to let the aircraft descending below the glide without any visual contact with the runway lights.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Novgorod: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1975 at 1653 LT

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87458

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Syktyvkar – Vologda – Novgorod – Riga

MSN:

9 43 17 36

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

SU098L

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2002

Aircraft flight cycles:

1500

Circumstances:

The crew encountered poor weather conditions while approaching Novgorod Airport with fog and a visibility below minimums. On final, the crew descended below MDA when the airplane struck the roof of a printing house and crashed in flames on a small residential building (three floors) located three km short of runway. The aircraft and the building were destroyed. All six occupants as well as five people in the building were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the crew to adhere to the published procedure while descending below the MDA in below minima visibility. Due to fog, the crew failed to locate the runway but continued the approach instead of initiating a go-around procedure. Weather information transmitted to the crew did not reflect the truth, which was considered as a contributing factor as well as the lack of ATC assistance.

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

Date & Time: May 14, 1973

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-70569

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1G127-37

YOM:

1971

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Vologda. There were no casualties. It is reported that the total weight of the aircraft was above the MTOW at the time of the accident.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Vologda: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1968 at 1114 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-09667

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Ust-Kubinsk – Vologda

MSN:

1G76-01

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1921

Aircraft flight cycles:

2176

Circumstances:

While approaching Vologda on a scheduled flight from Ust-Kubinsk, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was limited due to snow falls. While cruising at an altitude of 200 meters at a speed of 174 km/h, the airplane collided with another Aeroflot PZL-Mielec AN-2 registered CCCP-96226. En route to Ust-Kubinsk, the airplane was completing a cargo flight with two pilots on board. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed in a swampy area located 23 km north of Vologda and both wreckage were found 220 meters from each other. All 16 occupants in both aircraft were killed.

Probable cause:

Low visibility and poor weather conditions due to snow falls. Poor ATC assistance and inadequate decisions.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Vologda: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1968 at 1114 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-96226

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Vologda – Ust-Kubinsk – Saint-Petersburg

MSN:

1G72-10

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1794

Aircraft flight cycles:

2327

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Vologda Airport at 1104LT on a cargo flight to Saint-Petersburg, carrying a load of 7 boxes of fish for a total weight of 1,020 kilos. Ten minutes later, while cruising in limited visibility due to snow falls, while at an altitude of 200 meters and at a speed of 173 km/h, the aircraft collided with another Aeroflot PZL-Mielec AN-2 registered CCCP-09667. En route from Ust-Kubinsk to Vologda, the airplane was carrying 12 passengers and a crew of two. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed in a swampy area located 23 km north of Vologda and both wreckage were found 220 meters from each other. All 16 occupants in both aircraft were killed.

Probable cause:

Low visibility and poor weather conditions due to snow falls. Poor ATC assistance and inadequate decisions.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Ivanovo: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1943 at 1315 LT

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3932

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moscow-Chkalovski – Vologda – Belomorsk

MSN:

184 14 10

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1864

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a cargo flight from Moscow-Chkalovski to Belomorsk with an intermediate stop in Vologda. About 35 minutes after takeoff, while cruising at an altitude of 200-250 meters, the right engine lost power and stopped. Shortly later, the left engine also failed. The Captain attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area. Four crew members and one passenger were killed while three other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The flight mechanic forgot to switch the tanks in time sot the fuel pressure dropped, causing the right engine to fail, soon followed by the left one.