Crash of an Antonov AN-24B near Zawoja: 53 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 2, 1969 at 1608 LT
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LTF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Warsaw - Kraków
MSN:
67302406
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
LO165
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
53
Circumstances:
While descending to Kraków-Balice Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and a limited visibility due to heavy snow falls. At an altitude of 1,200 meters, the airplane struck trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located on Mt Polica, in the Babia Gora Mountain Range, near Zawoja. The wreckage was found few hours later about 150 meters below the summit and all 53 occupants have been killed. Due to poor visibility, the crew was unable to locate the mountain and at the time of the accident, the airplane was slightly off course.
Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Warsaw: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 3, 1962
Operator:
Registration:
026
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Warsaw - Warsaw
MSN:
14 803 071
YOM:
1958
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While taking part to an exercise in the Warsaw region and while flying at a relative low altitude, the airplane collided with a skydiver that struck the cockpit and seriously wounded the captain. The skydiver was killed and the copilot was able to complete an emergency belly landing. Some crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crash of a Vickers 837 Viscount in Moscow: 31 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 26, 1960 at 2140 LT
Operator:
Registration:
OE-LAF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vienna – Warsaw – Moscow
MSN:
437
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
OS901
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Captain / Total hours on type:
1752.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
458
Aircraft flight hours:
1272
Aircraft flight cycles:
872
Circumstances:
The approach to Moscow-Sheremetyevo Airport was completed by night and in poor weather conditions. After its four turn on approach, the crew continued the descent below the glide when the airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located 11 km short of runway 07. The aircraft was destroyed, five crew members and 26 passengers were killed while six other occupants were seriously injured. At the time of the accident, the visibility was limited due to the night, foggy conditions and rain falls.
Probable cause:
The investigations revealed that there were no technical deficiencies in the aircraft itself or a meteorological phenomenon involved in the accident. The Austrian observers participating in the investigation of the accident were of the opinion that the accident was related to altitude measurement, inasmuch as it was apparent from radio communications as well as from the examination of the wreckage that that the crew believed that they were flying at the normal approach altitude. The erroneous altitude measurement may be attributed to:
- A technical deficiency of either of the two altimeters,
- The divergent settings of the altimeters or,
- Omission of altimeter reading or erroneous reading of altimeters.
The internal mechanism of both altimeters was so heavily damaged that it could no longer be ascertained whether, at the time of the accident, the altimeters were functioning accurately. Both altimeters were set to the correct atmospheric pressure but their settings differed, namely the left altimeter was set at QFE 990 millibars and the right altimeter at 1013 millibars, which in view of the prevailing atmospheric pressure conditions, could have corresponded both to QNH and to the standard pressure setting. Such divergent settings are at variance with the usual procedure of Austrian Airlines. The reasons prompting the flight captain to depart from the usual practice could not be ascertained. It was not possible to reach a categorical conclusion as to which of the three causes were responsible for an approach below the minimum flying altitude.
- A technical deficiency of either of the two altimeters,
- The divergent settings of the altimeters or,
- Omission of altimeter reading or erroneous reading of altimeters.
The internal mechanism of both altimeters was so heavily damaged that it could no longer be ascertained whether, at the time of the accident, the altimeters were functioning accurately. Both altimeters were set to the correct atmospheric pressure but their settings differed, namely the left altimeter was set at QFE 990 millibars and the right altimeter at 1013 millibars, which in view of the prevailing atmospheric pressure conditions, could have corresponded both to QNH and to the standard pressure setting. Such divergent settings are at variance with the usual procedure of Austrian Airlines. The reasons prompting the flight captain to depart from the usual practice could not be ascertained. It was not possible to reach a categorical conclusion as to which of the three causes were responsible for an approach below the minimum flying altitude.
Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Moscow: 9 killed
Date & Time:
Jun 14, 1957 at 2310 LT
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LNF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Warsaw – Moscow
MSN:
6 34 14 07
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
LO232
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Warsaw-Okecie Airport on a non-stop scheduled flight to Moscow, following the normal route of flight LO232. It carried 8 passengers, 5 crew and 819 kg of mail and cargo. The flight was routine as far as Klimentiewo, 75 km west of Vnukovo Airport, and communication between the aircraft and the relevant units of the Air Traffic Control service was established. During the flight leg between Wiazma and Klimentiewo the aircraft followed its route and lowered altitude as instructed by the air traffic controller in view of the bad weather conditions (storm) in that area. Over Klimentiewo the aircraft was at an altitude of 400 m, altimeter setting 737.4 mm Hg (current QFE at Vnukovo Airport); the pilot reported sighting the ground and was cleared by the air traffic controller to descend to 300 m and to head for Vnukovo Airport. At 2307LT, i. e. 5 minutes before the scheduled time of arrival at the aerodrome, the crew requested approach clearance. The air traffic controller had transferred control of the aircraft to the approach control service ; the latter, having established contact with the aircraft, gave the pilot the QAM and cleared him for approach in accordance with the instrument approach procedure prescribed for that aerodrome. Although the pilot acknowledged receipt of the approach clearance, according to established procedure, he failed to adhere to the prescribed procedure and descended to such a low altitude that the aircraft hit the ground. The aircraft was completely demolished. Five passengers and 4 crew members were killed and 3 passengers were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The aircraft hit the ground while flying at an excessively low altitude fol- lowing the crew's application of an approach procedure other than that prescribed by Vnukovo Airport. The bad weather conditions which set in during the night and were not forecast in the messages had their influence on the disastrous end of the flight.
Final Report:
Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Berlin: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 26, 1956
Operator:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow – Warsaw – Berlin
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Berlin-Schönefeld Airport, the airplane was too low and struck the top of the Bohnsdorf church, crashed and burst into flames three km from the airfield. Three crew members were killed and three others were injured. For undetermined reason, the crew was approaching the airport at an insufficient altitude.
Crash of a Lisunov LI-2P in Gruszowiec: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 19, 1954
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LAH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Warsaw – Kraków
MSN:
184 232 01
YOM:
1951
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Enroute from Warsaw to Kraków, weather conditions worsened and the crew was unable to locate his position due to thick fog and the failure of the Dabrowa Tarnowska radio beacon. In such conditions, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path following navigation errors on part of the crew. While cruising at an altitude of 950 meters and at a speed of 240 km/h, the aircraft hit trees and crashed in a snow covered forest located on the slope of Mt Cwiklina (1,060 meters high). A passenger was killed while 22 other occupants were injured.
Crash of an Ilyushin II-12B in Warsaw
Date & Time:
Jul 18, 1952
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LHC
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9 301 35 06
YOM:
1949
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed for unknown reason at Warsaw-Okecie Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.
