Date & Time:
Aug 20, 1956 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3488
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Topographic
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Gizhiga - Gizhiga
MSN:
1 35 473 17
YOM:
1953
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total hours on type:
50
Aircraft flight hours:
1475
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Gizhiga Airport following a geophysical survey flight. En route, the pilot entered a narrow valley and while the visibility was decreasing due to clouds, the pilot decided to make a 180 turn. At an altitude of 460 meters, he started a turn to the right when the airplane collided with the mountain and crashed in flames. The radio navigator was slightly injured while all three other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The pilot was inexperienced on such geophysical survey flight and accumulated 50 flying hours on this type of aircraft prior to the accident. Also, the crew was on duty since 11 hours while the max duty time allowed for this kind of mission is six hours. If the time of the accident is confirmed at 2115LT, this means it was dark as the sunset is at 2007LT at Gizhiga on August 20.
