Scheduled Revenue Flight

For unknown reasons, the three engine aircraft landed hard on its nose, causing the nose gear to collapse. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The exact date of the mishap remains unknown, somewhere in 1991.

The crew started the takeoff procedure in white conditions and blizzard. The pilot-in-command completed the rotation prematurely while the aircraft's speed was insufficient. At liftoff, the right wing stalled and struck the snow on the right side of the runway. The aircraft then continued for few dozen metres, struck a tree and an embankment before coming to rest, bursting into flames. Fire was quickly extinguished but the aircraft was written off. Eight passengers and three crew members were injured.

The MD-81 arrived from Zurich at 22:09 and was parked at gate 2 overnight with temperatures of around +1 deg. C. Approx. 2550 kg of fuel remained in each wing tank. The aircraft was scheduled to leave Stockholm for Copenhagen at 08:30 and the temperature had dropped to -0 deg C in the early morning. During the night and in the early morning clear ice had formed on the upper side of the wings, but this was not detected by the ground crew member who checked the forward part of the wing. The aircraft was fuelled with 1400 kg of fuel and was ready for de-icing at 08:30, which was done using 850l of Type I fluid. After de-icing the mechanic didn't check whether there was any clear ice on the upper side of the wings, since he had previously found none. The flight was then cleared to taxi to runway 08 and the aircraft took off at 08:47. After 25 seconds (at 1124 feet height) bangs, vibrations and jerks were perceived in the aircraft. This was caused by a no. 2 engine surge. The engine was throttled down a little, but throttle control simultaneously changed to an automatic mode which increased throttle setting with altitude (Automatic Thrust Restoration - ATR). This in turn increased the intensity of the surging. The no. 1 engine surged 39 seconds later, but this was not noticed by the flight crew. An attempt to switch on the autopilot at 2616 feet failed. At 76 resp. 78 seconds into the flight both the no. 2 and no. 1 engine failed after breakup of the stage 1 stators of both engines (initiated by high loads from the surges). The aircraft was climbing through 3206 feet at that moment with a 196 KIAS. A no. 1 engine fire warning at 91 seconds into the flight made the crew activate the fire extinguishing system. A SAS captain traveling the passenger cabin realized that there were problems and hurried to the cockpit to assist the flight crew. The aircraft was in a gliding left turn at that moment. When descending through 420 m, still in the clouds, the assisting captain gradually extended the flaps. The flaps were fully extended at 1100 feet (340 m) and the plane broke through the clouds at 980-820 feet. A field in the direction of flight was chosen for an emergency landing. The wheels were selected down and Stockholm control was informed about the imminent crash-landing. The MD-81 contacted trees at 121 knots and a major portion of the right wing broke off. The plane then struck sloping ground tail-first and slid along the ground for 110 m. The fuselage was broken into three pieces, but there was no fire.

While descending to Warsaw-Okecie Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity. On final approach, the copilot suggested the captain to abandon the landing procedure and to initiate a go-around maneuver. The captain dismissed the copilot's suggestion, disengaged the autopilot system and continued the approach when visual contact with the ground was established at an altitude of 400 feet. In a nose-down attitude and at an excessive speed of 155 knots (about 25-30 knots above the recommended speed), the aircraft struck the runway 33 surface nose gear first. The aircraft bounced then veered off runway to the left, rolled on soft ground for about 860 metres and lost its nose gear before coming to rest. All 96 occupants were evacuated, among them three passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The flight was level at 10,000 feet msl in IMC conditions when the controller noticed the airplane take a sharp right turn and descend rapidly. Attempts to contact the flight were negative. Examination of the accident showed all the major components present, however, impact damage precluded any flight control continuity check. The engines could not be recovered from the impact crater. The accident site was not accessible with specialized equipment. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The commuter flight was enroute to its home airport and over mountainous terrain when it encountered low ceilings and rain showers. The airplane was not certificated for ifr commuter flights. Instead of going to an alternate airport the pilot attempted to maintain visual conditions and requested and received a visual clearance into the tca and advised the controller that his altitude was 5,100 feet msl. His radio transmission became garbled during the clearance read back and shortly thereafter the controller observed the airplane's radar target turn left from its westerly track and disappear from his scope. There were no further communications between the pilot and the controller. When the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination an alnot was issued. Early the next morning the aircraft's wreckage was found impacted in a mountain approximately 10 miles south of course at an elevation of 4100 feet msl. The investigation revealed that the pilot had previously and successfully flown the accident airplane in ifr conditions.

Crashed in rough terrain (somewhere in Yakutia?) after the crew attempted a forced landing for unknown reasons. There were no casualties.

During the takeoff roll at Tripoli Airport, after a course of about 700 metres, the aircraft veered off runway to the left. While contacting soft ground, all undercarriage and all four engines were torn off. The aircraft slid for few dozen metres and came to rest, broken in three and bursting into flames. All 199 occupants were evacuated, among them 10 were injured.

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the snowy tundra somewhere in Yakutia, maybe in the region of Nyurba. There were no casualties and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

During the takeoff roll at Rivière-au-Saumon Airport, the right engine caught fire and exploded. The crew abandoned the takeoff procedure and completed an emergency braking maneuver. All 35 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.