Crash of an Antonov AN-12 near Ucharal: 19 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Site:
Schedule:
Andijan – Semipalatinsk – Novosibirsk
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
En route from Andijan to Semipalatinsk, the crew diverted to Ucharal for unknown reasons and was then cleared to descend to 600 metres. While descending to an altitude of 1,269 metres, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 21 km south of Ucharal Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 19 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the approach controller mistakenly cleared the crew to descend to the altitude of 600 metres while the minimum safe altitude for the area was fixed at 2,310 metres.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Razdolnoye: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-31423
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Razdolnoye - Razdolnoye
MSN:
1G197-46
YOM:
1982
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a spraying mission in Razdolnoye with two pilots and one unauthorized passenger on board. While flying at low height against the sun, the crew performed a zoom while returning to the airstrip when the aircraft lost height and crashed, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The crew was flying against the sun,
- The outside air temperature was high,
- The aircraft was operated at low height,
- A little tail wind component.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Almaty: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1990
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tashkent - Almaty
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
On final approach to Almaty Airport, the crew decided to initiate a go-around for unknown reasons when the aircraft lost height and crashed. All eight occupants were killed. There were low clouds and rain falls at the time of the accident.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Borsengir: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1990 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-19725
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Zhezkazgan - Karakain - Borsengir - Zhezkazgan
MSN:
1G165-39
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
6889
Aircraft flight cycles:
15402
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Zhezkazgan on a survey flight to Karakain and Borsengir, carrying three passengers and two pilots who were in charge to proceed to a visual inspection of a voltage line deserving the region. The aircraft departed Karakain at 1221LT and proceeded to Borsengir. While approaching the village of Borsengir in good weather conditions, the aircraft struck the lightning protection wires of the high voltage line and crashed, bursting into flames. Two passengers were seriously injured while three other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the following factors:
- Lack of vigilance on part of the crew,
- The crew failed to check his altitude while approaching Borsengir,
- Poor distinction of the lightning protection wires,
- The position of the sun affected the crew's field of vision.

Ground accident of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Pavlodar

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1990
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-87451
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9 43 08 36
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
24311
Aircraft flight cycles:
16579
Circumstances:
Destroyed while parked at Pavlodar Airport after being struck by another Yak-40 registered CCCP-87914 that crashed upon landing. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40K in Pavlodar

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1990
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-87914
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9 73 03 55
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
17930
Aircraft flight cycles:
12388
Circumstances:
On approach to Pavlodar Airport, the crew was instructed by ATC to turn left in order to provide enough space for another aircraft that was approaching the same airfield. On short final, at an altitude of 50 meters and some 300 meters short of runway threshold, the aircraft was 51 meters to the left of the runway centerline. Instead of initiating a go-around procedure, the crew decided to continue the approach and the aircraft landed on the right half of the runway, some 7-10 meters from the left edge, at a speed of 205 km/h and with a rate of descent of 2.5 m/sec. The aircraft bounced and touched down 30 meters further. The aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the right and eventually collided with another Yakovlev Yak-40 registered CCCP-87451 that was parked on the apron. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 22 occupants were evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to recognize he was landing on a non paved runway and his failure to initiate a go-around procedure as the landing maneuver was obviously missed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Kenkiyak

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1990 at 1602 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-46551
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Krasnodar - Kenkiyak
MSN:
87304503
YOM:
1968
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew continued the approach with an excessive rate of descent and at too high speed. Upon touchdown, the aircraft bounced three times then landed on its nose gear that collapsed. The aircraft slid for few dozen meters then overran and came to rest 83 meters past the runway end, bursting into flames. All 33 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who completed an approach and landing in a nose-down attitude with excessive speed and rate of descent. It was also determined that the braking systems were partially inoperative due to hydraulic failure, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2T In Taraz: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1989 at 0713 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-44953
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Taraz - Zhezkazgan
MSN:
1G25-26
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
SU587
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
19637
Aircraft flight cycles:
39499
Circumstances:
Four minutes after take off from Taraz Airport, the crew encountered freezing fog and severe icing conditions and decided to return to Taraz. Shortly later, the engine lost power and the aircraft rolled to the left to an angle of 20-25° then crashed on the embankment of a canal located some 7,5 km northwest of Taraz Airport. It eventually came to rest upside down in one meter deep water. A pilot was killed while all 11 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the engine lost power after the carburetor iced. The poor weather conditions including freezing fog and severe icing conditions have not been forecasted by the met office.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP in Tengiz

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-41316
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G64-31
YOM:
1965
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after liftoff. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial climb as the total weight of the aircraft was above the MTOW and the CofG was over the rear limit.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Stepnogorsk

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-46525
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tselinograd – Stepnogorsk
MSN:
47310004
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
27444
Aircraft flight cycles:
22767
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Tselinograd, the crew started the approach to the Stepnogorsk Airfield equipped with a grassy runway of 1,305 meters long. After a wrong approach configuration, the pilot-in-command was too high over the threshold and the approach speed was excessive (240 km/h iso the requested 210-220 km/h). This caused the aircraft to land too far down the runway, about 893 meters past the runway threshold. The crew started the braking procedure about 300 meters before the end of the runway so the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran at a speed of 88 km/h and struck a 1,2 meter high concrete pillar that was part of the perimeter fence and came to rest. Despite the accident and the fact that the airplane was severely damaged, the captain decided to roll to the main apron so he added engine power when the aircraft hit obstacles, ditches and holes in the ground. Propellers broke away and the captain stopped the aircraft. All 52 occupants evacuated safely but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who continued the final approach too high and at an excessive speed, causing the aircraft to land too far down a short runway. The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure, which was considered as a contributory factor.