Date & Time:
Jan 29, 1964 at 1323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-54818
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Byelokany – Zaqatala – Nukha – Baku
MSN:
184 352 02
YOM:
1950
Flight number:
A-4
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
12589
Circumstances:
The takeoff from Nukha Airport was started from a snow covered runway (compacted snow) with snow showers and cross winds. After a roll of 124 meters, the tail wheel lifted off when the left main gear struck an irregularity on the runway surface. Instead of abandoning the takeoff procedure, the captain continued and elected to takeoff quickly. He pulled the control column to rotate but the aircraft's speed was too low. The airplane took off but in stall conditions, it bounced several times then rolled down into a ravine and came to rest by the Gurdzhanachay River, some 900 meters past the runway threshold. The copilot was killed and 21 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The takeoff procedure was started from a contaminated runway (compacted snow) and with lateral winds up to 5 meters per second. When an emergency situation occurred (left main gear impact), the captain failed to abandon the takeoff manoeuvre and elected to rotate with an insufficient speed, which caused the aircraft to stall.
