Kazakhstan

On the leg from Urdzhar to Ayaguz of a flight from Urdzhar to Semipalatinsk, the crew encountered below-minima weather conditions (snowfall and poor visibility). The crew failed to return in time and lost orientation so the aircraft crashed at a height of 1,850 metres into the slope of Mt Tikasu (2,151 metres high) located some 30 km from Nekrasovka and caught fire. Both pilots and all 4 passengers were injured and the aircraft was destroyed. The captain left the accident site on 13FEB1968 and reached Nekrasovka after walking through deep snow in mountainous terrain for 18 hours. All other five occupants were rescued and evacuated by the crew of a Mil Mi-4 on 14FEB1968.

While on approach to Karaganda Airport, the crew was instructed by ATC to divert to Tselinograd as the airfield was closed to traffic. The pilot ignored this message and decided to continue the descent. After it passed through the last cloud layer, the aircraft was too low and the captain decided to make a go-around when the airplane struck the ground and came to rest 700 meters short of runway threshold. All occupants survived while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

On a flight from Tselinograd (now Astana) to Karaganda when the elevator control failed after touchdown (it had already caused problems during the flight). Aircraft lifted off again, reached a height of some 10-15 metres when it banked left to an angle of 60°. Due to critical angle of attack, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames onto the runway. Two crew and 7 passengers were killed while all other 25 occupants were seriously injured.

On a flight from Ust-Kamenogorsk to Alekseyevka when encountered below-minima weather conditions (low clouds and rain), entered clouds and deviated from the prescribed flight path by 6 km. The decision to return was taken too late and the aircraft crashed at a height of 970 metres into the steep slope of Mt Aina-Sulak (1,121 metres high) located 21 km southwest of Alekseyevka. Both pilots and all 10 passengers were killed.

During take-off roll in poor weather conditions, the engine number 3 failed (probably due to the ingestion of wet snow). The aircraft veered off the snow covered runway to the right after a roll of 550 meters, got briefly airborne with a high angle of attack until the tail struck a 70 cm high mound. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in flames onto a hillside located 1,400 meters further on, by a river. Two passengers and a crew member were killed while all 65 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

The crew started the approach to Almaty Airport by night in below minima weather conditions. Despite the situation, the pilot continued the approach and let the aircraft pass below the glide. Suddenly, the airplane struck trees, banked right to an angle of 15° the crashed in flames in a snow covered field located 75 meters short of runway threshold. The wreckage was found 600 meters to the right of the extended centerline and the aircraft was destroyed upon impact. Three crew members and 64 passengers were killed while 39 other occupants were injured.

On the leg from Baiganin to Kenkiyak of a flight from Baiganin to Aktyubinsk, the crew encountered below-minima weather conditions (low clouds and fog), but failed to return to Baiganin and descended instead so that the aircraft crashed at a height of 273 metres into a hill (288 metres) located 18 km southwest of Kenkiyak. The copilot and two passengers were killed. The captain was seriously injured and all other passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Early in the morning, the pilot wanted to meet his spouse but they were already separated and she does want to see him. Intoxicated, he went to the airport and decided to takeoff with an Antonov AN-2 bound for Aktobe. Drunk, he insulted the air traffic controller and was able to takeoff. Three minutes after rotation, while at a height of 20 meters, the airplane banked left to a 50-60° angle, plunged into the earth and crashed near the terminal. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

The crew was engaged in a crop spraying mission on a rice field owned by the Tonkeris kolkhoz. After seven operations completed successfully, the crew prepared an eighth rotation. After a straight-in flight over few hundred yards at low height, the pilot-in-command made a turn to the right when control was lost. The airplane crashed in a field and came to rest upside down. Both pilots were killed.

The crew was engaged in a local pesticides spraying mission at Ksenyevka sovkhoz, about 160 km northeast of Kostanay. Immediately after takeoff, the pilot-in-command pull on the control column and started a steep climb and then a sharp turn to the left at low height. Due to insufficient speed, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. All four occupants were rescued but severely burned while the aircraft was destroyed by fire. Few hours later, both passengers, a boy aged 7 and a girl aged 15, died from their injuries. Two days later, the copilot died as well.