Yerevan-Erebuni | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

During the takeoff roll at Yerevan-Erebuni Airport, at a speed of 95 km/h, the captain saw a military bus entering the runway. He made a first turn to the right then a second to the left to avoid the collision when the right wing struck the minibus while the aircraft was at a speed of 110 km/h. Upon impact, the minibus was destroyed and the aircraft came to a halt 300 metres further with its right wing partially torn off. All 37 occupants on board the aircraft escaped uninjured. Among the 10 people on the bus, four were killed and six were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew was cleared for takeoff while the bus driver did to establish any contact with the tower and elected to cross the runway without prior permission or traffic check. It was reported that ATC was not aware of the presence of the minibus at this time.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 near Stepanakert: 47 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1990 at 1009 LT

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87453

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Yerevan - Stepanakert

MSN:

9 43 10 36

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

SU35D

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft operated on a passenger service from Yerevan-Erebuni Airport to Stepanakert Airport. In addition to 30 passengers with tickets, the crew took on board 13 unregistered passengers. With this heavy load, the captain requested a lower altitude, 4,500 meters, for the flight. This was granted by ATC, while the regular altitude on the route was 5,100-6,600 meters with a minimum safe height of 4,516 meters. At 09:59, at a distance of 21 km after passing the Azizbekov NDB, the crew was taken over by a controller of Kafan Airport. The controller instructed to keep the height of 4,500 meters to the point of descent. The flight was the cleared down to 3,900 meters and the aircraft descended over mountains covered by a cloud deck with an upper boundary of 3,000-3,300 meters. However, the flight crew never reported their exact position and the controller did not check it on radar. The flight reached the altitude of 3,900 meters at 10:07, and continued descending without informing the controller. At 10:08, the captain requested to contact Stepanakert, while giving a false report that the flight altitude was 3,900 meters. Not observing the aircraft, not knowing its actual flight altitude and not having direct communication with the controller at Stepanakert, the Kafan ATC controller allowed the crew to switch to the Stepanakert frequency. The captain reported to the controller that they were at an altitude of 3,900 meters and requested permission to descend to 2,400 meters. The controller at Stepanakert, having no radar facilities to monitor the aircraft, permitted a descent to 3,000 meters the NDB. At 10:09:57, the aircraft collided with a rocky mountain slope at an altitude of 2,520 meters while descending in clouds. All 47 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by a combination of the following factors:
- The captain's violations of the flight rules set forth in the policy documents manifested in unsatisfactory navigation, straightening the route and premature unauthorized descent to a height below the minimum safety altitude, which resulted in a collision with a mountain.
- Violations of ATC rules in their zones by ATC dispatchers of Erebuni, Kafan and Stepanakert airports, expressed in failure to comply with the rules of air traffic control and non-interference in the actions of the crew who violated the rules of navigation and flight regime, which did not allow timely prevention of the aircraft collision with an obstacle. The dispatchers at Yerevan-Stepanakert have a stereotype of work: to allow those conditions of approach, which the crews requested. These violations became possible due to shortcomings in the organization of flight work, flights and air traffic control at the Yerevan-Stepanakert MVL of the Armenian and Azerbaijani State Administration.

Crash of an Antonov AN-8 in Yerevan

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-8

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-26183

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

0B3440

YOM:

1960

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing at Yerevan-Erebuni Airport, the crew mistakenly raised the undercarriage. The aircraft sank on its belly and slid for few dozen meters before coming to rest on the runway. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Jraber: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1986 at 1103 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-05662

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Yerevan - Kamo

MSN:

1 56 473 02

YOM:

1955

Flight number:

SU157E

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

15627

Aircraft flight cycles:

19920

Circumstances:

The single engine aircraft departed Yerevan-Erebuni Airport at 1047LT on a cargo flight to Kamo, carrying two pilots and a load of 140 kilos of mail and various goods. At that time, weather conditions were considered as good. Six minutes later, the crew informed ATC about his position at an altitude of 1,800 meters and was cleared to climb to 2,400 meters. Then the aircraft entered a right turn and struck the south slope of Mt Gantusar (2,299 meters high) about two km northeast of Jraber. The wreckage was found at an altitude of 1,915 meters and both pilots were killed. It was reported that the visibility at the accident site was about 60 meters due to thick fog.

Probable cause:

It was determined that weather conditions deteriorated en route with limited visibility due to foggy conditions, and the crew took the decision to continue the flight in below minimums visibility instead of returning to Yerevan Airport.