Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 500F in Palu: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1994 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-MFI
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Balikpapan - Palu
MSN:
10597
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
On approach to Palu-Mutiara Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to rain falls. On final, he failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Kalora (690 metres high) located 8 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 12 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP in Blagoveshchensk

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1994
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-67470
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
84 12 35
YOM:
1984
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Blagoveshchensk-Ignatyevo Airport, the pilot was forced to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a collision with a bus. Doing so, the nose gear collided with a drainage ditch (25 cm deep) located on the left side of the taxiway. On impact, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest. All 14 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Swearingen SA226AC Metro II in Uruapan: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1994 at 1845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-SLU
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lázaro Cárdenas – Uruapan
MSN:
TC-401
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
7830
Captain / Total hours on type:
1049.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2373
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1508
Aircraft flight hours:
17737
Circumstances:
While descending to Uruapan-General Ignacio López Rayón Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to the night and rain falls. ATC instructed the crew to carry out an instrument approach but the pilots insisted for a visual approach to runway 02. Because the crew was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, he decided to initiate a go-around procedure, completed a right turn and attempted a second approach few minutes later that was also abandoned for the same reasons. This time, the captain initiated a turn to the left in an attempt to make a visual approach to runway 20, which was non compliant with the published procedures. Shortly later, while at an altitude of 1,200 metres, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 5,9 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to comply with the approach and go-around published procedures. The lack of visibility due to the night and rain was considered as a contributing factor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154M near Xi'an: 160 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1994 at 0822 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
B-2610
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Xi'an - §Guangzhou
MSN:
86A740
YOM:
1986
Flight number:
WH2303
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
146
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
160
Aircraft flight hours:
12507
Aircraft flight cycles:
6651
Circumstances:
Twenty-four seconds after takeoff, while climbing, the crew encountered controllability problems. The captain contacted ATC and reported uncommanded rolled left and right up to 30°. The aircraft continued to climb but reached a high angle of attack when it nosed up to 20°, activating the stall warning alarm. The aircraft reached the altitude of 4,717 metres then rolled to the left, pitched down to an angle of 65° and entered an uncontrolled descent. At a speed of 747 km/h, the aircraft descended to the altitude of 2,884 metres in 12 seconds then suffered structural deformation and failure before crashing in an open field located 29 km southeast of Xi'an Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 160 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of poor maintenance. The previous evening, the autopilot yaw-channel had been erroneously connected to the bank control and the bank-channel to the yaw control, after maintenance was completed at an unapproved facility.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A in Villavicencio: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 28, 1994 at 0738 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-2213
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Villavicencio – Puerto Carreño – La Primavera
MSN:
11752
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Less than three minutes after takeoff from Villavicencio-Ernesto Cortissoz Airport, while climbing, the captain reported engine problems to ATC. While approaching an open field at low speed in an attempt to make an emergency landing, the crew lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed. All three crew members and four passengers were killed while 21 others were injured. A passenger escaped uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact. It was reported that one of the engine lost power during initial climb and white smoke was coming out.
Probable cause:
Engine problems for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2B-27 Islander in Loma Linda: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1994 at 1055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-2890
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Jose del Guaviare - Villavicencio
MSN:
2111
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the crew encountered an engine failure. Five minutes later, while attempting an emergency landing, the twin engine aircraft lost height and crashed in a field. A pilot and three passengers were killed while seven other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight for unknown resons.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6A/B in Mitú

Date & Time: May 21, 1994
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
HK-1276W
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
44056
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered technical problems and was cleared to divert to Mitú-Fabio Alberto León Bentley Airport for an emergency landing. After touchdown, the four engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All nine occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The nature of the technical problems remains unknown.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-28 in Palana

Date & Time: May 12, 1994
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-28713
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Palana
MSN:
1AJ006-23
YOM:
1989
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach and landing at Palana Airport were completed in strong crosswinds. The twin engine aircraft landed hard and was apparently damaged beyond repair due to structural damages. All 12 occupants evacuated safely.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-8 Islander in Bragança

Date & Time: May 8, 1994 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CS-DAF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lisbon - Bragança
MSN:
691
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Lisbon to Bragança, while cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet over clouds, the right engine suffered vibration. Few minutes later, the crew decided to shut it down and its propeller was feathered. As the crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude on one engine, he decided to descend and to attempt an emergency landing on a road. On final, the aircraft struck trees and crashed. All four occupants were slightly injured.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A-3 in Arkhangelsk

Date & Time: May 7, 1994 at 1242 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-65976
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Arkhangelsk
MSN:
3 35 20 07
YOM:
1973
Flight number:
SU2315
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
56
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
33606
Aircraft flight cycles:
21071
Circumstances:
On approach to Arkhangelsk-Talagi, the crew encountered technical problems with the landing gear that could not be lowered. Several manual attempts were made and finally, only the right main gear remained stuck in its wheel well. The captain decided to land in such configuration. After touchdown, the aircraft slid on the ground then veered off runway and came to rest in a grassy area. All 62 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The right main gear could not be lowered because of a breakage of the filling connection of the hydraulic tank due to metal fatigue while the aircraft was taxiing at Moscow-Sheremetyevo Airport. The fitting was blown out under pressure and damaged hydraulic lines, causing a hydraulic fluid leak and the oil pressure to drop.