Ukraine | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

After takeoff from Kiev-Borispol Airport, the crew informed ATC about landing gear problems and was cleared to return. On approach, the crew realized that the left main gear got stuck in its wheel well and decided to continue the descent. Upon touchdown, the aircraft fell on its left, slid for few dozen metres and came to rest on the runway. All 147 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The left main gear could not be lowered for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A-3 in Kharkiv

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-134

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-65810

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

3 35 22 01

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

26173

Aircraft flight cycles:

18701

Circumstances:

For unknown reasons, the aircraft landed too far down the runway at Kharkiv-Osnova Airport. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, it overran and came to rest. All 58 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Kiev: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1991

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Krasnodar - Kiev

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in a military/cargo flight from Krasnodar to Kiev, carrying a load of fruits and vegetables. To be able to carry more cargo, the crew decided to embark less fuel. En route, the crew encountered strong headwinds and elected to divert to Dnepropetrovsk Airport. Finally, the captain decided to continue to Kiev. While descending to Borispol Airport, the crew informed ATC he was low of fuel so he was cleared for a straight-in approach to runway 36R. For unknown reasons, the captain preferred an approach to runway 18L. On short final, both engines stopped simultaneously. The aircraft stalled, struck the ground, lost its undercarriage and came to rest 1,500 metres short of runway threshold. Eight occupants were injured and one of the pilots was killed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure on short final due to a fuel exhaustion. Following a poor flight planning and preparation, the crew decided to embark more load and less fuel. The fuel quantity was insufficient for the requested route and flight time.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Perekopivka: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1991 at 2325 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-40988

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bilovodske – Nedryhailiv

MSN:

1G217-28

YOM:

1985

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2962

Aircraft flight cycles:

30996

Circumstances:

All the evening, the crew (a pilot and a flight mechanic) consumed alcohol. As they were unable to find a place to sleep in Bilovodske, they decided to return to Nedryhailiv. Four minutes following a night takeoff from Bilovodske, the pilot lost his orientation and elected to return. Shortly later, he suffered a spatial disorientation and lost control of the airplane that crashed less than 2 km east from Perekopivka (at N50°37' E33°28'), about 3 km south from Bilovodske Airstrip. Both occupants were seriously injured. The passenger died in hospital 15 days later.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after the pilot suffered a spatial disorientation while being intoxicated. Unauthorized flight.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 near Kiev

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1990 at 1531 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-29110

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Batumi - Kiev

MSN:

40 25 02

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

4461

Aircraft flight cycles:

2703

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Batumi to Kiev, carrying 12 passengers, five crew members and a load of mandarins. While cruising at an altitude of 4,150 meters, the captain asked the copilot to activate the deicing systems. For unknown reasons, the copilot mistakenly shut down all four engines. Following various mistakes, the crew was unable to restart the engines. The captain declared an emergency and was cleared to divert to Kiev-Borispol Airport for an emergency landing. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, he eventually attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field located about 12 km northwest of Borispol Airport. All 17 occupants were rescued, among them 14 people were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The copilot mistakenly shut down all four engine in flight,
- The crew was unable to restart the engine due to uncoordinated hasty actions in a difficult situation,
- The copilot did not have sufficient experience on this type of aircraft and was not familiar with its operation,
- Lack of crew training.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP in Odessa

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1990 at 1100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Let L-410

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-67331

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

82 08 31

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Odessa-Central Airport, the captain mistakenly activated the reverse thrust on both engines. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and struck the ground 22 meters short of runway threshold with a positive acceleration of 4,4 g. before coming to rest. All 15 occupants were rescued.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-20 at Kacha NAS

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-20

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Kacha -Mykolaiv

MSN:

173 0114 03

YOM:

1973

Location:

Kacha NAS

Autonomous Republic of Crimea

Country:

Ukraine

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Kacha Airbase, the pilot started to rotate but the aircraft failed to respond. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft veered off runway to the left and rolled in a rough terrain where it came to rest, bursting into flames. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew failed to prepare the flight according to published procedures and failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist as the rudder had not been unlocked prior to takeoff. It was also reported that the crew took the decision to abort five seconds too late.

Crash of an Antonov AN-32 in Semenivka: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1989 at 2008 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-32

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-48095

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Mukachevo - Moscow

MSN:

1705

YOM:

1988

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

382

Aircraft flight cycles:

209

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Mukachevo Airbase on a cargo flight to Moscow, carrying nine crew members and a load of air-air missiles that must be transferred for maintenance purposes. About 35 minutes into the flight, while cruising by night, the autopilot system failed and an alarm sounded. The crew was able to identify the problem so the autopilot was reconnected and the crew continued the flight. One hour and 43 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 7,500 meters, the autopilot system failed again but this time, no alarm sounded so the crew was unable to identify the problem. Forty seconds later, the aircraft entered a dive and crashed in a swampy area located near Semenivka. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all nine occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact reason why the autopilot system disconnected by himself could not be determined with certainty. However, investigators did not ruled out the two following assumptions: a crew member may inadvertently disconnected the autopilot while touching the button with his body; the possible failure of a switch connected to the autopilot system command circuit. Nevertheless, the crew was considered as partly responsible as he failed to pay sufficient attention to the conduct of flight and various instruments, which would prevent him from identifying the problem and intervening in a timely manner to correct the situation.

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

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1989

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-56524

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Olhyne - Olhyne

MSN:

1G183-24

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

6873

Circumstances:

The aircraft was dispatched in Olhyne for spraying mission since January 25. In the morning, the captain decided to takeoff (without his copilot) for a local flight and was accompanied with an unauthorized person. Following low passes, the captain initiated a steep climb when the airplane, due to an excessive angle of attack, stalled. It nosed down and struck the ground by an angle of 45°, crashing in a field and bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The captain initiated a local flight with unauthorized people on board. At the time of the accident, both people were intoxicated. The captain had a blood alcohol level of 1,9‰.