Crash of an Antonov AN-26B in Ust-Kuyga

Date & Time: Dec 27, 2002
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-26053
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Yakutsk - Ust-Kuyga
MSN:
109 09
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
17609
Aircraft flight cycles:
9649
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful cargo flight from Yakutsk, the crew started the approach to Ust-Kuyga on a polar night with an OAT of -51° C. On final approach, at a distance of 1,150 metres from the runway threshold, the aircraft deviated to the right by 150 metres. The captain was instructed by ATC to initiate a go-around but he decided to continue the approach. Unstable, the aircraft's speed dropped to 210 km/h and on the last segment, it lost height, causing the right main gear to struck the runway surface. On impact, the right main gear was torn off, followed shortly later by the nose gear. Out of control, the aircraft slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All six occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The following findings were identified:
- Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew,
- The aircraft was unstable on approach,
- The approach' speed of 210 km/h was insufficient (20 km/h below the prescribed speed),
- On the last segment, the aircraft rolled to the right following improper actions from the crew,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around and ignored ATC instructions,
- The configuration adopted by the crew resulted in the aircraft making a deliberate descent to the right of the approach pattern.

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

Date & Time: Nov 6, 2002
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-70140
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sovetsky – Svetly
MSN:
1G137-14
YOM:
1972
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Some passengers were late and the crew apparently hurried the departure to avoid a night flight to Svetly. Doing so, the crew failed to prepare the flight properly and did not proceed to any engine runup prior to taxi and takeoff. During the taxi manoeuvre, the aircraft suffered controllability problems so the crew selected the propeller lever to the fine pitch position. The takeoff procedure was initiated without checks and the crew forgot that the propeller lever was not in the takeoff position. After liftoff, at a height of 3-5 metres, the aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height and speed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area. All 15 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Poor flight preparation on part of the crew who failed to follow the pre taxi and the pre takeoff checklist. The aircraft was unable to gain sufficient speed and height after takeoff because the propeller lever was not in the correct position.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Bodaibo

Date & Time: Sep 30, 2002
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-62587
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Bodaibo – Svetly – Perevoz – Valyukhta
MSN:
1G176-56
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Bodaibo under VFR mode on a charter flight to Valyukhta with intermediate stops in Svetly and Perevoz. En route, weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds. At an altitude of 1,520 metres, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and crashed, bursting into flames. All five occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was destroyed by fire. The wreckage was found 68 km northeast of Bodaibo.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew decided to continue under VFR mode in IMC conditions. Poor operation planning by the operator and poor visibility due to the presence of cumulonimbus were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Manskiy: 13 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 2002 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-56888
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manskiy - Manskiy
YOM:
1972
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Manskiy Airfield on a local flight with 13 skydivers and one pilot on board. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 120 metres, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a near flat attitude in an open field, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found 2,5 km from the village of Shalinskoye. Three passengers were seriously injured while 11 other occupants were killed. Few days later, two of the three survivors died from their injuries. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the engine failed during initial climb because the fuel used being reserved for automobiles and not airplanes, a common practice among skydiving clubs in Russia. It was also reported that the certificate of airworthiness was suspended last March.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-28 in Ayan: 16 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 2002 at 1856 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-28932
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Khabarovsk – Poliny Osipenko – Ayan
MSN:
1AJ008-19
YOM:
1990
Flight number:
VTK359
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Khabarovsk to Ayan with an intermediate stop in Poliny Osipenko, carrying 14 passengers and two pilots. Before takeoff from Poliny Osipenko, the crew was informed about weather conditions at Ayan with a visibility up to 5 km. But while approaching the destination, the crew realized that weather conditions deteriorated rapidly with poor visibility due to low stratus and fog. The crew initiated the descent prematurely and after the first turn, the aircraft was already at an insufficient altitude of 800 metres instead of the required 950 metres. At a speed of 283 km/h, the aircraft descended too low and deviated to the right of the approach pattern by 2,3 km when it entered an area of low stratus at an altitude of 320 metres. In a visibility reduced to 50 metres, the crew lost visual contact with the ground but the captain decided to continue the approach. At a height of 188 metres, the aircraft impacted a hill (226 metres high) located near the shore of the Okhotsk Sea. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 16 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following after the crew initiated the descent prematurely and failed to follow the published procedures. The following contributing factors were identified:
- The approach was continued in below minima weather conditions,
- Failure of the crew to get a current weather report for Ayan and the alternate airport,
- The decision of the captain to continue the approach at decision height without any visual contact with the ground and his failure to initiate a go-around procedure,
- Failure of the crew to follow the established approach pattern,
- Failure of the meteorological observer to issue updated weather bulletin,
- Absence of radio navigational aids at Ayan Airport,
- Lack of interaction between ATC and meteorological observer at Ayan Airport when aircraft are approaching in adverse weather conditions.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Kashtak

Date & Time: Aug 26, 2002
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-33501
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G228-53
YOM:
1988
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to make an emergency landing at Kashtak Airfield near Chita. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Osinovka

Date & Time: Aug 13, 2002
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
About 20 minutes after his departure from Vagay, the crew encountered engine problems. The attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed near Osinovka, about 40 km southeast of Vagay. All 15 occupants were rescued, among them two were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Sladky Liman: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 2002 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-33322
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1G225-41
YOM:
1987
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
In the evening, a pilot and a technician took off for a local flight. After liftoff, at a height of about 10 metres, the aircraft rolled to the left and impacted the concrete support of a power line then crashed 38 metres further, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that both occupants were intoxicated at the time of the accident. They took off while the ailerons were still locked. Poor flight preparation.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-86 in Moscow: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 2002 at 1525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-86060
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Saint-Petersburg
MSN:
51483203027
YOM:
1983
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Aircraft flight hours:
18363
Circumstances:
The aircraft was leaving Moscow on a ferry flight to St Petersburg following a charter flight from Sochi. On board were 16 crew members, among them 10 employees of the company. Two seconds after takeoff from runway 07L, while climbing to a height of about 200 metres, the stabilizers trimmed to the full up position of 12°. The aircraft nosed up and reached a super critical angle of attack. The crew attempted to regain control by pushing the control column forward but the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion about 700 metres past the runway end. Two stewardesses were injured while 14 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The cause could not be determined with certainty due to the almost complete destruction of the main and reserve stabilizer control system units as a result of the fire on the ground and lack of information on the primary and backup stabilizer control systems on the flight data recorder, and the lack of crew comments on the cockpit voice recorder. The accident of IL-86 RA-86060 could be caused by an electrical failure in the stabilizer control system, which led to the reverse control response when controlling the stabilizer from the main system or inadequate actions of one of the pilots, expressed in pressing and holding the "pitch up" stabilizer switch on the control column.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Yakutsk

Date & Time: Jul 13, 2002 at 1418 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-46670
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Yakutsk - Yakutsk
MSN:
47309601
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Antonov departed Yakutsk on a crew training flight. Two approach and landings were carried out using flap settings of 38 and 15 degrees. During the third approach the captain called for lowering of the landing gear. The flight engineer moved the landing gear handle from neutral into the "retract" position. He did not check for three greens so failed to notice his mistake. Then the captain requested the flaps to be selected at 10 degrees. The Antonov turned to finals, but the crew did not carry out the final approach checks and continued after having obtained landing clearance. Fourteen seconds before touchdown an air traffic controller informed the crew that they should go around because the landing gear was not down. The captain did not hear this because at that moment height and speed were called out by the flight engineer. Five seconds later the controller repeated his warning. One of the crew members heard the call and noticed three reds on the instrument panel. He informed that captain about this, but it was already too late. The captain added takeoff power, but within three seconds the tail struck the runway. The airplane skidded about 1000 metres before coming to rest.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The erroneous actions of the flight engineer when trying to lower the landing gear,
- Failure of the flight crew to conduct the necessary (final approach) checks,
- The failure by the crew to check and respond to landing gear warning indications,
- The execution of a flight with an incomplete composition of crew, causing additional workload on the flight engineer during the approach (height and speed call outs),
- Late commands to go around by the air traffic controller,
- On the Yak-40 the landing gear handle moves to the opposite direction for retraction and lowering compared to the Antonov 24 (the flight mechanic had more, and recent, flight experience on the Yakovlev 40 jet),
- The large workload and fatigue of the crew during the recent six days before the incident.