Region

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 in Tashkent: 21 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1958 at 0310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-61663
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mineralnye Vody – Ashgabat – Tashkent
MSN:
6 34 20 07
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
SU466
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Aircraft flight hours:
3295
Circumstances:
On approach to Tashkent-Yuzhny Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The visibility was reduced due to the combination of snow falls and night. On final, the captain decided to make a go around and attempted a second approach instead of diverting to a suitable airport. During the second approach, as he was unable to locate the runway, the crew again decided to make a go around when, at a height of 100-150 meters, the airplane stalled, banked right and crashed in a snowy field. All 21 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of wrong decision on part of the crew who decided to continue the approach below weather minima conditions. The crew failed to divert to a suitable terrain and while performing a second go around manoeuvre, the airplane stalled due to an insufficient speed.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Mt Bel'-Aut: 11 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1949 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4335
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Leninabad – Samarkand – Stalinabad
MSN:
184 279 07
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
1366
Circumstances:
En route, the crew was informed that weather conditions were poor in Samarkand and received the autorisation to fly directly to Stalinabad. The crew decided to change his route and while flying in cloudy conditions, the pilot in command mistook the Chakchar Mountain Range with the Kush-Tang Mountain Range and started the descent prematurely. At an altitude of 2,600 meters, the right wing hit a rocky peak and the aircraft crashed about 400 meters lower and came to rest at an altitude of 2,270 meters. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 11 occupants was found. On May 8, 1949, the wreckage was found on the slope of Mt Bel'-Aut located in a mountain range of the Surxondaryo province in east Uzbekistan.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew cut the route and then followed a wrong track after he mistook two mountain ranges. As the descent was started prematurely, the aircraft was flying at an insufficient altitude at the time of the accident. Poor visibility due to clouds was considered as a contributory factor, as well as wrong decisions on part of the flight operations, lack of discipline on part of the flying crew, lack of organization and communication between the crew and the operations and inappropriate information regarding the weather forecast (information transmitted to the crew had expired).

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-20bis near Tashkent: 36 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L760
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chardzhou - Tashkent
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Aircraft flight hours:
272
Circumstances:
The six engine aircraft was performing a regular schedule flight from Chardhou (Turkmenistan) to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with a crew of six and thirty passengers on board. On descent, while at an altitude of 500 meters, the aircraft nosed down at an angle of 80° and crashed in a huge explosion some 50 km from Tashkent Airport. All 36 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
According to Soviet Authorities, the captain was not at his seat at the time of the accident. Investigations revealed that a passenger was seating at the place of the captain and disconnected the automatic pilot before engaging the aircraft in a wrong attitude and configuration. This caused the aircraft to nose down and crash.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-40 on Mt Karzhantau: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1942 at 0700 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3541
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tashkent – Frunze – Alma-Ata – Semipalatinsk
MSN:
14/215
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
540
Circumstances:
The crew was in charge to transfer the airplane to its new base in Semipalatinsk and departed Tashkent Airport at 0625LT. En route stops were scheduled in Frunze (Bishkek) and Alma-Ata. About 40 minutes after departure, weather conditions deteriorated on the east part of Uzbekistan with a sand storm. As the airplane failed to arrive in Frunze, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended as no trace of the airplane was found. The wreckage was eventually found in 1943 at an altitude of 2,501 metres, on the Karzhantau Mountain Range, some 65 km northeast of Tashkent. The airplane impacted the slope of the mountain about 100 metres below the summit and was partially destroyed by a post crash fire. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot failed to follow the prescribed route and continued at an insufficient altitude to pass the Karzhantau Mountain Range. Thus, it is considered that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain while flying in marginal weather conditions.

Crash of a Tupolev G-2 on Mt Nuratau: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1942 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1497
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Urganch - Tashkent
MSN:
22 524
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Aircraft flight hours:
2571
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Urganch Airport at 1400LT on a flight to Tashkent, carrying 12 adult passengers, one child, five members of the Uzbek Civil Aviation and five crew members. Due to atmospheric interferences, it was difficult to establish communication with the crew. Nevertheless, a last message was recorded at 1626LT. It seems the airplane crashed half an hour later, at 1700LT. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was later found about 100 metres below the summit of Mt Nuratau (800 metres high) located about 60 km northwest of Jizzakh. The airplane was destroyed and all 23 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. However, it is believed that the accident may have been the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain following the decision of the pilot to continue the flight in marginal weather conditions. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course due to unfavorable winds and the visibility was poor due to clouds.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Tashkent: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1941 at 1745 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3538
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tashkent - Tashkent
MSN:
11/215
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
752
Circumstances:
The crew departed Tashkent-Yuzhny Airport on a local training flight. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the left engine failed. The crew attempted to return for an emergency landing when the airplane stalled and crashed on the laboratory of a textile factory located 2,5 km northwest of the airport, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed and there were no casualties on the ground.
Probable cause:
Poor flight preparation on part of the crew who failed to recognize that the fuel valve of the left engine was closed prior to takeoff. Failure of the crew to maintain control of the airplane on one engine.

Crash of a Tupolev G-2 near Bekobod: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1941 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1496
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tashkent – Fergana
MSN:
22 114
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
3407
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Tashkent to Fergana, carrying a load of three tons of jam, clothes, leather goods and wooden boot-block for a total weight of 3,339 kilos. While cruising at an altitude between 200 and 250 metres, the airplane encountered heavy winds and turbulence, descended to a height of 90 metres then became uncontrollable and crashed 6 km north of Bekobod. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the wind was gusting to 72 km/h at the time of the accident and the crew was aware of this. Prior to departure, during the flight preparation, the fleet captain confirmed that wind gusting to 72 km/h was ok for this kind of aircraft but told the captain and his crew to fly above the minimum altitude of 1,500 metres. For unknown reasons, the crew decided to continue the flight at an insufficient altitude of 200-250 metres. Gusty winds hit the front of the airplane that went out of control and crashed.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Boysun: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1938 at 1025 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-I87
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Samarkand – Boysun – Termez
MSN:
120
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
334
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Samarkand on a flight to Termez with two passengers and two pilots on board. While cruising south of Boysun, the crew encountered poor visibility due to fog. At an altitude of 900 metres, the airplane impacted the west slope of a mountain and crashed 20 km south of Boysun. The mechanic was slightly injured and walked away to find help. Rescuers arrived on site three days later, on December 23. A passenger died 13 hours after the accident and two other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The crew took the decision to perform the flight despite the visibility was below published minimums. The pressure from both passengers to perform the flight was considered as a contributing factor, as well as negligence on part of the crew.

Crash of a Polikarpov AP in Urganch

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-A512
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
5926
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After takeoff, the pilot elected to make some low passes over the post office. From a height between 50 and 80 metres, he completed several circuits and turns when the aircraft hit the ground and crashed in a garden. The passenger was killed and the pilot was injured.
Probable cause:
Carelessness on part of the pilot who completed hazardous manoeuvres at an insufficient altitude.