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

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-09696
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G76-30
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew made a mistake in handling the fuel system, causing the engine to flame out. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing but the aircraft crash landed and was written off. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Tarko-Sale: 17 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1977 at 1925 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-47695
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tarko-Sale - Surgut
MSN:
27307602
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
SU134
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Aircraft flight hours:
11791
Aircraft flight cycles:
8486
Circumstances:
Following a night takeoff from Tarko-Sale Airport, while climbing at a height of 120 meters and a speed of 295 km/h, the captain requested flaps up when the airplane started to descend with a rate of nine meters per second. The aircraft then rolled to the right by an angle of 30° and struck trees at a speed of 365 km/h before crashing 2,889 meters past the runway end. Four crew members and 13 passengers were killed while six other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. Eyewitnesses reported a red light facing the aircraft just prior to the accident but it was confirmed there was no other traffic in the vicinity of the airport at the time of the accident. It is possible that the red light may be a fire or a possible flare.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Chuya

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70629
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G128-38
YOM:
1971
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Chuya. There were no casualties.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 on Mt Aag: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1977 at 1208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70453
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Esso – Milkovo – Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
MSN:
1G143-32
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
SU956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Milkovo Airport at 1117LT bound to the south. En route, weather conditions worsened and clouds developed over the Sredinny Mountain Range. At an altitude of 2,400 meters, the airplane entered clouds while descending to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky-Galaktyrka Airport. At an altitude of 2,200 meters, strong downdrafts were encountered then the airplane lost height and crashed on the north face of Mt Aag (2,230 meters high) located about 28 km northeast of Galaktyrka Airport. The burned wreckage was spotted a day later in deep snow and it was confirmed that all seven occupants were killed. Two days later, an avalanche dragged the wreckage for almost 700 meters and only the copilot's body was later found.
Probable cause:
The crew descended into clouds without knowing his exact position and without any visual contact with ground (mountains). At the time of the accident, strong atmospheric downdrafts were present as well as strong winds from the west, which was considered as contributing factors.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M near Cape Chelyuskin

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-04195
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1 470 013 13
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in an ice survey flight over the Vilkitsky Strait, carrying four scientists and seven crew members. The goal of the mission was to facilitate the passage of ships in the Laptev Sea. After overflying Peter Island, while cruising by night at an altitude of 250 meters, the navigator made a mistake, causing the aircraft to fly to the wrong direction. Approaching the shore at an insufficient height, the airplane struck the icy and snow covered ground, slid for about 180 meters and came to rest, about 38 km southeast of Cape Chelyuskin. All 11 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Navigation error.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T in Srednekolymsk

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1977 at 1156 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-55625
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Srednekolymsk – Nalimsk
MSN:
1123 473 05
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Srednekolymsk Airport, while climbing to a height of 150 meters, the engine started to misfire. Power dropped and fire sprayed out from the right side of the engine. The crew elected to make an emergency landing but inadvertently switched off the battery so he was unable to lower the flaps. The airplane crash landed at high speed, lost its undercarriage and lower wings and came to a halt, broken in two. All five occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the engine misfiring as a result of a failure of the rear spark plug on cylinder n°2, which occurred as a result of the central electrode falling out of the candle with subsequent burning of its body in the cylindrical part near the turnkey hexagon. The falling out of the central electrode of the rear spark plug of cylinder n°2 was caused by the destruction of the insulator due to the formation of a microcrack and internal stresses in the insulator in the process of making candles. According to the conclusions of the State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, this defect was the consequence of a faulty design and manufacture.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Chirinda: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1977 at 1940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-35485
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Chirinda - Chirinda
MSN:
1 138 473 05
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
13476
Aircraft flight cycles:
9357
Circumstances:
In the morning, the crew completed two geophysical missions on behalf of the Severo-Yeniseysk expedition. In the afternoon, four passengers were illegally embarked for a fishing party on the Kotui River. In the evening, while flying back to Chirinda, the airplane suddenly lost height, struck tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located on the slope of a mountain (480 meters), about 6 km southwest of Chirinda. The burned wreckage was found 132 meters below the summit and all seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. However, it was considered that the engine probably failed in flight as the fuel quantity in both tanks was insufficient (110 liters instead of the minimum 300 liters required).

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Otrado-Olginskoye

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-32108
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G93-14
YOM:
1968
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located near Otrado-Olginskoye. There were no casualties while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
It is reported that the loss of control was caused by the fact that the crew was distracted.

Crash of an Antonov AN-8 near Bratsk: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
CCCP-48094
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
0A3410
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
6200
Aircraft flight cycles:
3889
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight on behalf of the MSP – Ministerstvo Sudostroitelnoi Promyshlennosti (Soviet Ministry of Naval Construction). While cruising by night, the pilot informed ATC that he lost the artificial horizon. Shortly later, control was lost and the airplane entered a dive. It partially disintegrated during the descent and eventually crashed in a pasture. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the artificial horizon for unknown reasons. The airplane later disintegrated in the air due to aerodynamic forces that exceeded its design and certification.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T near Omolon

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-01250
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
1 81 473 17
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered below-minima weather conditions when the single engine aircraft hit the slope of a hill located near Omolon. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.