Date & Time:
Oct 24, 1964 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-01231
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nikolayevsk-on-Amur - Okha
MSN:
1 69 473 20
YOM:
1956
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
6349
Circumstances:
The crew departed Nikolayevsk-on-Amur on a mail flight to Okha. Few minutes after takeoff, he encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility dropped below minima due to snow falls. In such conditions, the crew decided to return to his departure point but lost orientation and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. While cruising at an altitude of 190 meters in limited visibility, the single engine struck trees and crashed on the wooded slope of a hill (282 metres high) located 4,1 km from the runway's centerline. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Poor flight preparation on part of the crew who decided to takeoff without any information related to the weather conditions enroute. Local meteorologists transmitted information to the crew afterwards but these information were considered as too optimistic and failed to reflect the truth.
