Region
Asia

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Zeya: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1981 at 2031 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-87346
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Irkutsk - Chita - Zeya - Blagoveshchensk
MSN:
9 51 15 39
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
SU674
Location:
Zeya
Amur oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane was completing flight SU674 from Irkutsk to Blagoveshchensk with intermediate stops in Chita and Zeya. While approaching Zeya Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with limited visibility (less than 2 km). On final, the GPWS warning sounded in the cockpit while the aircraft was descending below the minimum descent altitude. The pilot-in-command decided to continue the approach when the airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located 350 meters short of runway threshold and 125 meters to the right of the extended centerline, bursting into flames. Two crew members and one passengers were killed while 26 other occupants were injured. Five passengers escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew decided to continue the approach after passing the minimum descent altitude in below minimum visibility conditions. The crew failed to respond to the GPWS warning sound and to initiate a go-around despite the fact they did not establish a visual contact with the ground and runway. It was reported that weather conditions were worse than forecast in the bulletin transmitted to the crew and there were local patches of fog in the last segment of the approach path which was considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-16K near Zavitinsk: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1981 at 1521 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-16
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-07514
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Meteorological / Weather
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Zavitinsk - Zavitinsk
MSN:
6203106
YOM:
1974
Location:
Zavitinsk
Amur oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Two Tupolev TU-16K of the Soviet Air Force departed Zavitinsk Air Base on a weather reconnaissance mission. Registered CCCP-07034 and CCCP-07514, both military airplanes were carrying a crew of six. While cruising at an altitude of 5,220 meters in good weather conditions, the TU-16 registered CCCP-07514 collided with an Aeroflot Antonov AN-24. Registered CCCP-46653, the AN-24 was completing flight SU811 from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Blagoveshchensk with an intermediate stop in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, carrying 27 passengers and five crew members. It departed Komsomolsk-on-Amur Airport at 1456LT for the second leg of the trip and was cleared to climb to 5'200 meters. Both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an uninhabited area located about 70 km east of Zavitinsk. Both aircraft were totally destroyed. All six crew members of the TU-16 were killed as well as 31 occupants on board the AN-24. Three days after the accident, a man aged 20 who was seating in the AN-24 was found slightly injured in the taiga.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision was the consequence of a poor organization and management of flights in the area of the Zavitinsk and the non-compliance of the published procedures. The collision was made possible by a lack of interaction, coordination and communication between the civilian and military air controllers.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV near Zavitinsk: 31 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1981 at 1521 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-46653
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk - Komsomolsk-on-Amur - Blagoveshchensk
MSN:
47309204
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
SU811
Location:
Zavitinsk
Amur oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing flight SU811 from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Blagoveshchensk with an intermediate stop in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, carrying 27 passengers and five crew members. It departed Komsomolsk-on-Amur Airport at 1456LT for the second leg of the trip and was cleared to climb to 5'200 meters. In the same time, two Tupolev TU-16K of the Soviet Air Force departed Zavitinsk Air Base on a weather reconnaissance mission. Registered CCCP-07034 and CCCP-07514, both military airplanes were carrying a crew of six. While cruising at an altitude of 5,220 meters in good weather conditions, the AN-24 and the TU-16 registered CCCP-07514 collided. They entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an uninhabited area located about 70 km east of Zavitinsk. Both aircraft were totally destroyed. All six crew members of the TU-16 were killed as well as 31 occupants on board the AN-24. Three days after the accident, a man aged 20 who was seating in the AN-24 was found slightly injured in the taiga.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision was the consequence of a poor organization and management of flights in the area of the Zavitinsk and the non-compliance of the published procedures. The collision was made possible by a lack of interaction, coordination and communication between the civilian and military air controllers.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP off Palana: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1981 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-29354
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Palana - Lesnaya
MSN:
1G77-37
YOM:
1966
Location:
Palana
Kamchatka Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
9283
Circumstances:
The crew departed Palana on a flight to Lesnaya. Approaching Lesnaya, weather conditions were poor and due to limited visibility, the crew was unable to locate the landing zone and decided to return to Palana. While flying at an altitude below 50 meters, the pilot-in-command initiated a right turn when the airplane lost height and crashed into the sea about 270 meters offshore. Five occupants swum to shore while a passenger drowned.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to prepare the flight according to published procedures and without any contact with local ATC. Control was lost during a turn completed at an unsafe altitude in turbulences and relative strong winds.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M on Utichiy Island: 11 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1981 at 1512 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-91517
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Magadan – Nikolayevsk-on-Amur
MSN:
1470 011 35
YOM:
1957
Location:
Utichiy Island (Shantar Islands)
Khabarovsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
32047
Aircraft flight cycles:
27710
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Magadan-Sokol Airport on a scientific flight to Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, carrying seven crew members and four scientists who were in charge to proceed with temperature measurements of the water surface in the Okhotsk Sea. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the decision to return was taken too late. While cruising at an altitude of 140 meters in limited visibility, the crew initiated a right turn in a slight climb when the airplane struck the slope of a hill (152 meters high) located in the southwest part of the Utichiy Island (Shantar Islands), in the west part of the Okhotsk Sea. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew did not receive any weather bulletin for the second part of the mission and took the decision to continue without any suitable information in poor weather conditions. The decision to return was taken too late and the pilots were unable to see the ground obstacles due to limited visibility. At the time of the accident, flying conditions were difficult with thunderstorm activity, heavy rain falls and turbulences.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T in Kedrovy

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-01883
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bodaybo – Perevoz – Kedrovy
MSN:
1 154 473 04
YOM:
1961
Location:
Kedrovy
Irkutsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Bodaybo on a positioning flight to Kedrovy with an intermediate stop in Perevoz, on behalf of a geological mission. The approach was completed with a tailwind and the airplane landed too far down the landing area, about 80 meters from the 'runway' end. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran then collided with a dirt bank, bursting into flames. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who failed to initiate a go-around procedure.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Dudovka: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1981 at 1820 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-35137
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kasilovo - Kasilovo
MSN:
1G112-19
YOM:
1969
Location:
Dudovka
Bryansk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
8467
Aircraft flight cycles:
29104
Circumstances:
The crew completed several spraying flights in the morning and stopped at 1210LT, observing a rest time of five hours. At 1810LT, the crew departed Kasilovo bound to the west. While flying at low height, the pilot-in-command initiated a right turn when the airplane struck trees and crashed, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew decided to continue the flight and to initiate a turn below the minimum safe altitude for unknown reasons.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Avlayakan

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1981
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-35592
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1G115-43
YOM:
1970
Location:
Avlayakan
Khabarovsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing in Avlayakan for unknown reasons. All four occupants were rescued and the aircraft was written off.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M near Ust-Barguzin: 48 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1981 at 1622 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-41838
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Severomuysk – Nizhneangarsk - Ulan-Ude
MSN:
1470 011 41
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
SU498
Location:
Ust-Barguzin
Republic of Buryatia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
48
Aircraft flight hours:
16185
Aircraft flight cycles:
18427
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Severomuysk Airport at 1441LT on a schedule service to Ulan-Ude with an intermediate stop in Nizhneangarsk, carrying 44 passengers and a crew of four. Bound to the west, while cruising to an altitude of 3,600 meters, the crew was informed about poor weather conditions at destination. As the Nizhneangarsk Airport was closed to traffic, the crew was instructed to divert to Ust-Barguzin Airport located on the east shore of Lake Baykal, in the Svyatoi Nos peninsula. While descending to Ust-Barguzin Airport at an altitude of 1,300 meters, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and crashed 30 km northwest of Ust-Barguzin. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all 48 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to follow the prescribed procedures and initiated the descent prematurely under VFR mode in IMC conditions. Due to unfavorable wind component (200° at 25 km/h iso 250° at 50 km/h as initially forecasted), the airplane was not on the calculated route and ATC was unaware of the exact position of the airplane due to lack of contact from the crew and due to discrepancies in the radiogoniometer settings. This situation resulted in a controlled flight into terrain.
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