Russia

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Baku – Makhatchkala – Astrakhan – Stalingrad – Moscow

MSN:

6 34 17 09

YOM:

Flight number:

SU200

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

4945

Circumstances:

On approach to Moscow-Vnukovo, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with clouds and limited visibility. By night, the aircraft passed below the glide until it struck tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 1,400 meters short of runway 02 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and only one passenger survived. Among those killed were the Russian composer Sergei Artyomevich Agababov aged 32.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of poor approach techniques on part of the flying crew who allowed the aircraft to descent below the glide in poor visibility until the airplane struck obstacles. Following factors were considered as contributory:
- The crew was tired and failed to observe a sufficient rest time,
- At the time of the accident, the crew was on duty since 13h50 with 5h53 cumulated flying hours,
- The pilots performances were diminished by fatigue and work overload,
- The copilot's experience was insufficient,
- Poor visibility due to the night and a cloud layer down to 60 meters from the ground.

Crash of an Antonov AN-8 at Tula AFB

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-8

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9340205

YOM:

1959

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching Tula AFB. There were no casualties but the aircraft with no registration was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Khalaktyrka: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1959 at 1145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-84448

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Milkovo – Khalaktyrka

MSN:

35 02

YOM:

1949

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

9416

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a cargo flight from Milkovo to Khalaktyrka, carrying a crew of four and a load of 46 bags of potatoes for a total weight of 2,536 kilos. The crew started the descent in clouds and did not realize he was not following the assigned route for Khalaktyrka. At an altitude of 2,100 meters, the airplane struck the north face of Mt Aag (2,319 meters high) located 42 km north of Khalaktyrka. The wreckage was found a day later and all four crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that strong winds were blowing at 60 km/h at the time of the accident, causing the airplane to deviate 12° from the prescribed route. Due to clouds, the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain. Lack of ATC assistance was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18B in Moscow

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-75676

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

189 0009 05

YOM:

1959

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 10,000 meters over the region of Voronezh, the airplane penetrated cumulonimbus area and suffered updrafts first. It climbed to 10,700 meters then encountered downdrafts and descended to 7,000 meters. The propellers on both engines number one and four were automatically feathered when new downdrafts were encountered. The airplane descended to the altitude of 2,800 meters when the crew was able to recover control of the airplane. The crew contacted ATC and obtained the permission to return to Vnukovo for an emergency landing. Following an uneventful landing, all 56 occupants (some of them injured) were evacuated and the aircraft was later declared as damaged beyond economical repair due to heavy damage to the structure. Also, it was reported that the chemical liquid stored in the toilet compartment leaked and contacted several electrical system, causing short-circuits. Several connectors were down as well as the VHF communication system.

Probable cause:

Emergency landing following in-flight downdrafts and turbulences.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Cape Shelagsky: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1959 at 1940 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-04242

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nizhniye Kresty – Pevek

MSN:

184 399 09

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On a flight from Nizhniye Kresty (now Cherski) to Pevek on a survey flight of the icy continent, the copilot decided to cut the route short when the captain was in the passenger cabin and overflew Cape Shelagski (469 meters). On approach to the cape, the aircraft was caught by strong downdraft and eventually struck the hill with the lower fuselage, was thrown up into the air again and eventually crashed into a large boulder and caught fire. Three crew members were rescued while seven others occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Wrong decision on part of the copilot who decided to modify the route without referring to the captain and against all published procedures.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Kovrik River: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1959 at 1225 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-54795

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Uchur - Uchur

MSN:

184 339 08

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

9608

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Uchur in the morning on a supply mission to a geological camp located in the region of the Kovrik River. The crew successfully performed a first drop and continued along the Kovrik Valley in an attempt to make a second low pass. While cruising at low height, the captain realized he was too low and elected to return, made a sharp turn to the left when control was lost. From a height of about 20-25 meters, the aircraft bank left, stalled and crashed 1,900 meters from the drop zone. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all nine occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of poor pilot techniques and wrong decisions on part of the captain who failed to recognize that he was flying too low and at an insufficient speed while performing a sharp turn to the left in a mountainous area. The following factors were considered as contributory:
- Too low altitude to expect recovery when stall occurred,
- The crew continued the flight at an insufficient height in a mountainous area,
- Poor flight preparation,
- Wrong approach configuration.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Yurgarga River

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-04266

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

112 473 02

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Yurgarga River. Crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Severny Island

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-04209

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

184 308 08

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll on a 750 meters long icy runway, while at a speed of 70-80 km/h, the left ski struck an irregularity on the ground. The airplane bounced, climbed to a height of 1,5-2 meters then stalled and crashed 300 meters farther. All six crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Wrong takeoff configuration on part of the crew who attempted to takeoff at an insufficient speed. The captain should abandon the takeoff procedure instead to continue in such conditions. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- The braking performance was reduced due to the high salting of the ground,
- The 'runway' surface was uneven.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Berdsk: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1959 at 1306 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-84595

Flight Phase:

Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific

Flight Type:

Survivors: