Region
Asia

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Severny Island

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-04209
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
184 308 08
YOM:
1951
Location:
Severny Island
Arkhangelsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-84595
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Novosibirsk - Novosibirsk
MSN:
184 275 08
YOM:
4
Location:
Berdsk
Novosibirsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
9820
Circumstances:
The crew departed Novosibirsk-Severny Airport on a geophysical mission. En route, the right engine failed. Instead of feathering the propeller, the crew attempted few times to restart it but without success. Due to high drag, the airplane lost height and the speed decreased. The captain elected to make an emergency landing on a terrain located between the villages of Morozovo and Tavolgan. At a height of 330 meters, the different probes used for the mission were reinstalled in the cabin when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a wooded area. Five crew members were killed while three others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the right engine failed because the fuel selector was connected to an empty fuel tank. Poor crew coordination and failure to follow the published procedures.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Severo-Evensky

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1959 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-16192
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Magadan – Evensk – Gizhiga
Location:
Evensk
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While descending to Evensk Airport on a cargo flight from Magadan to Gizhiga, the crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds. At an altitude of 800 meters, the airplane struck the top of a hill, continued for several hundred meters and eventually crashed on a second hill (760 meters high) located 30 km west from Evensk Airport. All six occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Negligence on part of the captain who decided to start the descent prematurely without knowing his exact position, in clouds without visual contact with the ground.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Ust-Kara

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-N492
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Amderma – Ust-Kara
MSN:
184 299 08
YOM:
1948
Location:
Ust-Kara
Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2158
Circumstances:
The crew was completing an ambulance flight from Amderma to Ust-Kara to pick up a patient back to Amderma. After decending successively to 600 meters and 300 meters in marginal weather conditions (limited visibility to 4 km in rain and snow, low clouds), the pilot decided to continue the descent despite he could not clearly locate the runway. On short final, the airplane struck the snowy ground and plunged in a deep snow layer (60 cm), slid for several yards and came to rest 250 meters short of runway threshold. All occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the captain who decided to continue the descent without clear visual contact with the runway.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Stalingrad: 25 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1959 at 0333 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-41863
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow – Voronezh – Stalingrad – Baku
MSN:
1460 007 01
YOM:
28
Flight number:
SU205
Location:
Stalingrad
Volgograd oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Aircraft flight hours:
3922
Circumstances:
On final approach to Stalingrad-Gumrak Airport by night, while at an altitude of 400 meters, the airplane went out of control, banked right and crashed at a speed of 300 km/h in a snow covered field located 5 km from the runway 24 threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact but there was no fire. All 25 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the aircraft may have been mistakenly shot down was not ruled out. Five round holes of a diameter of 10 mm and 35 mm where found in the flight deck. Also, various metallic fragments foreign to the structure of the aircraft were found above the captain's head as well as in his left thigh. It is believed that arms being fired from a military training facility beneath the approach path.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M near Khatanga: 16 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1958 at 2153 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-04196
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pevek – Mys Kosistyy – Khatanga – Moscow
MSN:
14700 13 16
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
SU003
Location:
Khatanga
Krasnoyarsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
On the leg from Mys Kosistyy to Khatanga of a flight from Pevek to Moscow during the polar night, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path to the left by 38 km. The crew descended prematurely and the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a hill (340 metres high) located about 65 km from the Khatanga Airport. It came to rest upside down after some 400 metres and caught fire. The rescue teams arrived on the scene a day later, on December 31. A passenger was seriously injured while all 16 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of navigation errors on part of the flying crew, which caused the aircraft to deviate from the prescribed flight plan by 38 km to the left. The captain started the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to struck a hill while flying in limited visibility (8 km) due to the night, clouds and snow falls. The decision of the operations to change the navigator at the last minute may have been a contributing factor due to a possible inoperability between the captain and the navigator. Finally, shortcomings were reported in the polar operations and flight organisation.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 in Ulyanovsk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1958 at 2005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-41843
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ulyanovsk - Ulyanovsk
MSN:
1460 005 12
YOM:
30
Location:
Ulyanovsk
Ulyanovsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
2057
Circumstances:
The crew (six pilots and one instructor) was completing a local night training mission at Ulyanovsk-Baratayevka Airport. While approaching the airfield in icing conditions, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames 400 meters from the airfield. Four occupants were killed while three others were injured. The airplane was partially destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of poor piloting techniques on part of the pilot-in-command and the instructor while performing a transition flight from instruments to visual mode in icing conditions. 10 to 15 millimeters of ice were found on the wings after the accident, which contributed to the stall at low height. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Lack of a clear order in the direction and control of the flight,
- Lack of a training methodology,
- Atmosphere of complacency on part of the instructor, which reduced his self-discipline,
- Insufficient knowledge of the aerodynamic qualities of the aircraft in icing conditions and appropriate action to take in such conditions,
- Insufficient distance between the airplane and the ground to expect recovery.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Cherepovets

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1467
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leningrad – Cherepovets – Sverdlovsk
MSN:
8 30 25 04
YOM:
1948
Location:
Cherepovets
Vologda oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Apparently following a wrong approach configuration, the airplane landed long and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and crashed into a ravine. There were no casualties but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 in Stalingrad: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1958 at 2242 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2096
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Voronezh – Stalingrad
MSN:
7 34 29 07
YOM:
21
Flight number:
SU213
Location:
Stalingrad
Volgograd oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
2336
Circumstances:
The approach to Stalingrad Airport was completed by night and poor weather conditions with snow falls and fog. On final, at an altitude of 200 meters, as the pilot-in-command failed to establish a visual contact with the runway lights, he decided to abandon the approach and made a go around. ATC advised the crew to divert to Rostov or Voronezh but the captain obtained the permission to attempt a second approach. On final, in poor visibility, he was again unable to establish a visual contact with the runway lights but continued the approach when the copilot asked for a new go around procedure. In the mean time, the airplane struck tree tops, rolled to the right and crashed in a field located one km short of runway threshold. The flight mechanic was killed while all other occupants were rescued, some of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration and poor techniques on part of the pilot-in-command who decided to continue the approach without visual contact with the runway lights. He also led the airplane passing below the minimum descend altitude without visual contact with the ground and in below-minima weather conditions.
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