Region

Crash of an Antonov AN-2R in Kozlovets: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 2006 at 1555 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-1178
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kozlovets - Kozlovets
MSN:
1174 473 17
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
9798
Aircraft flight cycles:
49726
Circumstances:
The aircraft commander came at the airstrip at village of Kozlovets at about 09:00 and accepted the aircraft from the aircraft technician, refueled with 400 l gasoline (according the record in monthly book) and after that moved the aircraft to the chemical charge stand, where the aircraft was loaded with 1350 l of chemical (herbicide). According the technician’s information, the first flight started at 09:15. The crew was incomplete. There was no copilot onboard. After the fourth (at 11:00) and after the tenth flight (at 13:30) the aircraft was refueled with 200 l of gasoline. At the airstrip after the 11th flight for AW two outsiders climbed on board with aircraft commander’s permission, who were not crew members and the twelfth flight was performed with them. One person, 11-year schoolboy, took the right-hand seat in the cockpit and the other person stayed upright between the two pilot seats. The aircraft took-off from the temporary airstrip and headed for treatment of an agricultural field, situated behind a height relatively to the place of the temporary airstrip. After the end of spraying of the first plot during the left-hand turn at very low altitude the aircraft collided with the ground in a heading of 310°. As a result of the collision the construction was destroyed, the aircraft turned around the left hand wing to 180° from the flight direction, a spilling of fuel and oil emerged and a fire blow up, which destroyed the fore part of aircraft fuselage. The commander and the person standing between the pilot seats received fatal injuries and the child in the right-hand pilot seat was seriously injured and was hospitalized in the town of Pleven.
Probable cause:
Main cause:
Demonstrated self-sufficiency and lack of self-discipline by the aircraft commander, leaded to violation of the flight rules during AW, defined in Aerial Works Instruction, due to which the
complicated flight conditions became dangerous and in the specific circumstances the situation created developed to a catastrophic one.
Immediate cause:
Collision with the terrain.
The commission considered that for the occurrence contributed the following contributory factors:
1. Negligence of the requirements for available regular flying staff by AO for the established by AOM flight conditions for minimum crew during AW.
2. Degraded level of control by AO on the activities, character and quality of the aerial work performed.
3. Lack of in-depth analysis of the personal and professional abilities of the flight personnel of the AO and passivity displayed in cases directly influencing the safe performing of the flights.
During the process of the cause about the accident the commission disclosed also the following deficiencies:
1. Formal attitude of the inspector during the fulfillment of the control list of the aircraft commander for the flight proficiency and navigation check.
2. Lack of record in the aircraft engine technical book for installation of a plug n°105975 into the altitude corrector during the technical measures for PSSE.
3. The reason for replacement of the cylinder n°1, 4 and 9 wasn’t registered in the technical documentation.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Svalenik

Date & Time: Apr 18, 2002 at 1205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-1147
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Svalenik - Svalenik
MSN:
1G160-06
YOM:
1975
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was dispatched in Svalenik for a crop spraying mission. While flying at low height and speed, the captain initiated a 90° turn when the copilot cautioned him about the presence of a 8 metres tall tree. The captain pushed his hands off the controls when control was lost. The aircraft impacted the tree and crashed. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the captain was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Tervel

Date & Time: Apr 3, 2002 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-1113
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tervel - Tervel
MSN:
1G145-52
YOM:
1973
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was dispatched in Tervel for a crop spraying mission with three people on board. While flying at a height of about five metres, the engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a field. A passenger escaped uninjured while the second one was unhurt. The pilot was evacuated in critical conditions.
Probable cause:
Engine failure resulted from a malfunction of the fuel-feed system, most probably due to incorrect installation of the altitude regulator of the carburetor and incorrect actions by the pilot.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154A in Varna

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-BTD
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Stockholm - Varna
MSN:
74A058
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
LZ7022
Location:
Country:
Region:
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:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-DOK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sofia - Varna
MSN:
9 62 02 47
YOM:
1976
Country:
Region:
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 a Tupolev TU-134A in Sofia: 50 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1984 at 1938 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-TUR
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Berlin - Sofia
MSN:
4 35 23 08
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
45
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
50
Circumstances:
The approach to Sofia-Vrazhdebna Airport was initiated by night and limited visibility due to snow falls. On short final, the crew descended below the glide when the aircraft struck successively power cables and tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located 4 km short of runway threshold, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all 50 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The decision of the crew to continue the approach below the glide without any visual contact with the runway until impact with obstacles.

Crash of an Antonov AN-14A near Samokov: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-7004
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Sofia - Haskovo
MSN:
601607
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was completing an ambulance flight from Sofia to Haskovo when it crashed in the Rila Mountain range located near Samokov. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134 in Gabare: 73 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1978 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-TUB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sofia - Warsaw
MSN:
8 35 05 01
YOM:
1968
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
66
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
73
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Sofia-Vrazhdebna Airport, the crew informed ATC about an unexpected situation and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. Control was lost from an altitude of 4,900 meters and the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in an open field located near the village of Gabare. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 73 occupants were killed.