Date & Time:
Nov 11, 1960 at 2330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-84748
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Magadan – Seymshan – Zyrianka – Nizhni Kresty – Bilibino – Pevek
MSN:
184 301 09
YOM:
29
Flight number:
SU213
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a cargo flight from Magadan to Pevek with intermediate stops at Seymshan, Zyrianka, Nizhni Kresty, and Bilibino, carrying one passenger, a crew of five and two tons of apples. The takeoff was started by night and in snow falls from a contaminated runway. After a long takeoff course, the pilot-in-command completed the rotation at low speed. After liftoff, the airplane reached a high angle of attack, stalled and struck the runway surface several times. It continued for few hundred yards then banked left and eventually crashed in flames in a snowy field located 440 meters past the runway end. The passenger was slightly injured while all five crew members were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The crew took the decision to takeoff from a contaminated runway that has not been properly cleaned prior to the accident. In such conditions, all safety conditions were not met and the aircraft performances were reduced. For undetermined reason, the crew decided to continue the takeoff run despite the course was too long and failed to take the right decision to abandon the departure procedure.
