Crash of a Let L-410MU near Irkoutsk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1988 at 2218 LT
Type of aircraft:
Let L-410
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-67235
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Batagay – Magan – Lensk – Kirensk – Irkutsk
MSN:
77 08 01
YOM:
1977
Location:
Irkutsk
Irkutsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew initiated the descent to Irkutsk-Intl Airport by night and was cleared to 3,000 meters then 2,100 and 1,800 meters. The crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck trees and crashed on the top of a hill (700 meters high) located 21 km southeast of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew descended below the minimum descent altitude following a wrong altimeter setting. At the time of the accident, the crew was very tired due to a duty time over 15 hours and 26 minutes.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Asau

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Registration:
5W-FAF
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
109
YOM:
1969
Location:
Asau
All Samoa Islands
Country:
Samoa Islands (Western Samoa)
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Asau Airport, the Islander was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and plunged in a lagoon. There were no casualties.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Odessa

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1988
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-35677
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G134-41
YOM:
1972
Location:
Odessa
Odessa Oblast
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Nine minutes after takeoff, while in cruising altitude, the engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a pasture. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the engine failure was the consequence of a mismanagement of fuel on part of the crew who positioned the fuel selector on the left main tank that was empty.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Sofia: 29 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-DOK
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sofia - Varna
MSN:
9 62 02 47
YOM:
1976
Location:
Sofia-Vrazhdebna
Sofia Province
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 09 at Sofia-Vrazhdebna Airport, the three engine aircraft was unable to rotate and failed to become airborne. It overran and crashed in a ditch, bursting into flames. Eight occupants were seriously injured while 29 others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the Sofia Airport should be momentarily closed to traffic because the Presidential Tupolev TU-154 of the Republic of Bulgaria was scheduled to takeoff with the Bulgarian President Todor Zhivkov on board. Large delays were expected so ATC cleared the crew to take off but asked him to expedite takeoff. In a certain confusion and in the rush, the crew failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist and forgot to set the trim correctly. As the stabilizer was incorrectly set in the down position, the aircraft was unable to rotate and overran the runway before crashing.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Kisumu

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1988 at 0546 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F27 Friendship
Operator:
Registration:
5Y-BBS
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Nairobi - Kisumu
MSN:
10213
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
KQ650
Location:
Kisumu
Nyanza
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Kisumu Airport, both pilots were focused on discussions about various subjects and failed to monitor the instruments and the approach procedure. The aircraft landed on its belly and slid for few hundred meters before coming to rest on the runway. All 43 occupants were rescued, among them five passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the attention of the crew was focused on various discussions unrelated to the flight operations. Distracted, the crew failed to follow the approach checklist and failed to lower the landing gear. Also, the crew failed to monitor the instruments, causing the aircraft to land at an excessive speed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Khabarovsk

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1988 at 1913 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-46669
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4 73 095 09
YOM:
1974
Location:
Khabarovsk
Khabarovsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
41
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the captain decided to abandon the procedure for unknown reasons and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest 218 meters further. All 46 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Sivakovka

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1988
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-19741
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G165-55
YOM:
1975
Location:
Sivakovka
Primorsky Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff, the single engine aircraft encountered windshear and crashed in a field. Occupant fate unknown.

Crash of a Vickers 843 Viscount in Balikpapan

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
PK-IVW
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tarakan – Balikpapan – Martapura
MSN:
452
YOM:
1963
Location:
Balikpapan
East Kalimantan
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
71
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Balikpapan-Sepingan Airport was completed with a tailwind and on final, the four engine aircraft was unstable. The aircraft landed hard on runway 07, causing the nose gear and the right main gear to collapse. The aircraft slid on its belly for few hundred meters before coming to rest on the runway. All 76 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Airbus A300B-2-203 off Qeshm Island: 290 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1988 at 1024 LT
Type of aircraft:
Airbus A300
Operator:
Registration:
EP-IBU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bandar Abbas – Dubai
MSN:
186
YOM:
1982
Flight number:
IR655
Location:
Qeshm Island
Hormozgān
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
274
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
290
Captain / Total flying hours:
7000
Captain / Total hours on type:
2057.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
220
Copilot / Total hours on type:
708
Aircraft flight hours:
11497
Circumstances:
Flight IR451 arrived at Bandar Abbas (BND) from Tehran (THR) at 08:40. The Airbus A300 was to continue to Dubai (DXB) as flight IR655. Prior to departure the crew received an enroute clearance to Dubai via the flight planned route A59 and A59W at FL140. The flight took off from runway 21 at 10:17 hours and climbed straight ahead. Two minutes later, the crew reported leaving 3500 feet for FL140 on Airway A59, estimating MOBET at 06:53 UTC (10:23 Iran time). At 10:24:00 the aircraft passed MOBET out of FL120. At 10:24:43 two Airbus was hit by surface-to-air missiles. The tail and one wing broke off as a result of the explosions. Control was lost and the aircraft crashed into the sea. The missiles were fired by the US Navy cruiser USS Vincennes. It was operating in the area together with the frigates USS Elmer Montgomery and USS John H. Sides. They were to protect other ships in the area. At about the time the Airbus took off, the radar aboard the USS Vincennes picked up a brief IFF mode 2 response, which led to the mistaken identification of the Airbus as a hostile F-14 aircraft. The USS Vincennes issued 7 challenges on the Military Air Distress (MAD) frequency 243 MHz, addressed to 'Iranian aircraft', 'Iranian fighter' or 'Iranian F-14'. These messages were followed by three challenges on the IAD (International Air Defence) radio frequency. Due to increasing tension in the area - on May 17, 1987 an Iraqi Mirage had attacked USS Stark - all aircraft in the area had to monitor 121.5 Mhz: the International Air Defence - IAD radio frequency. There was no response. Meanwhile radar operators were monitoring the Aegis screens. They reported that the incoming plane was descending with an increasing speed. In fact, the Airbus was climbing. Considering itself and USS Montgomery under aggression, USS Vincennes took the ultimate decision to launch missiles against the perceived hostile target at 10:24:22.
It remains uncertain whether the IR655 flight crew (only able to monitor the IAD, not the MAD frequencies) would have been able to rapidly identify their flight as the subject of the challenges made by the USS Vincennes.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was perceived as a military aircraft with hostile intentions and was destroyed by two surface-to-air missiles.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 737-2A8 in New Delhi

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1988 at 1726 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 737-200
Operator:
Registration:
VT-EAI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Srinagar – Jammu – Chandigarh – New Delhi
MSN:
20482/272
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
IC422
Location:
New Delhi-Indira Gandhi
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
128
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9000
Circumstances:
Indian Airlines flight IC422 was a domestic service from Srinagar to Delhi via Jammu and Chandigarh, India. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-200, landed gear up on runway 10 at Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport. The left engine then caught fire due to a fuel leak from ruptured fuel lines and a broken fuel control unit. The fire was quickly put out by fire services. All 134 occupants evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred because of commander's negligent flying contrary to laid down procedures and failure to ensure that the landing gears were down and locked before landing. The co-pilot's failure to bring to the notice of the commander the deviations from the laid down procedures and to verify and cross-check that the gears were down, was a contributory factor to the accident.
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