Date & Time:
Dec 21, 1971 at 2332 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-BES
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sofia - Algiers
MSN:
185 0081 04
YOM:
1965
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
62
Pax fatalities:
26
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
28
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, while climbing by night to a height of 8 meters, the airplane banked left, causing the left wing to struck the runway surface. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames in a grassy area located on the left side of the runway. Among the debris scattered on a distance of 400 meters, 45 injured people were evacuated while 28 others were killed, among them two crew members and the Bulgarian singer Pacha Hristova who was travelling to Algeria with members of the Bulgarian folklorik band 'Aura'.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the airplane was just returning into service following ground maintenance. For unknown reason, technicians failed to comply with maintenance procedure and it was determined that the aileron control cables were not properly connected.
