Date & Time:
May 7, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
002 red
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow - Moscow
MSN:
18700 01 04
YOM:
1
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
5
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Aircraft flight hours:
67
Aircraft flight cycles:
120
Circumstances:
The crew (five engineers and five test pilots) were engaged in a local test flight out from Moscow-Sheremetievo Airport. Few minutes after takeoff, the engine number two failed. As it was not possible to feather the propeller, the airplane lost height and speed. The crew decided to return to Sheremetievo Airport for an emergency landing but on final, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames 4 km short of runway threshold. The airplane was destroyed and all ten occupants were killed. The test flight was performed on behalf of AKDON – Aviatsionnaya Krasnoznamyonnaya Diviziya Osobogo Naznacheniya, a division of the Soviet Army.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was equipped with four Kuznetsov NK-4 engine that were not fitted with a propeller feathering system. When the engine number two failed, as the propeller could not be feathered, this caused high drag and the aircraft lost speed and eventually stalled.
