Date & Time:
Aug 23, 1993 at 1842 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Engels - Privolzhskiy
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Engels AFB to Privolzhskiy AFB near Astrakhan, carrying six crew members. About 40 minutes into the flight, while cruising at the assigned altitude of 4,800 metres, both engines n°2 and 4 failed simultaneously. The crew started an emergency descent after being cleared to divert to Volgograd-Gumrak Airport. While descending to the altitude of 1,700 metres, the engine n°1 failed as well. The crew was attempting an emergency landing when the aircraft collided with trees and crashed, bursting into flames. All six crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
A short circuit in the DC power distribution network caused the destruction of the wire insulation of the automatic prop feathering controls. This resulted in three of four engines failure.
