Date & Time:
Jan 22, 1974 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-33225
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Yegorlykskaya - Yegorlykskaya
MSN:
1G57-28
YOM:
1965
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:
5558
Aircraft flight cycles:
19860
Circumstances:
While on a crop spraying flight for the sovkhoz (state farm) im. Kirova in the Yegorlykskaya district of the Rostov region, the crew encountered below minima weather conditions (poor visibility) due to thick fog. On approach, the pilot was unable to locate the airfield and decided to descend at an unsafe altitude when the airplane struck the ground and crashed in flames in a snow covered field located 1 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Poor flight organization and wrong decision on part of the crew who decided to continue the approach in below minima weather conditions.
