Ground explosion of a Boeing 737-286 in Shiraz: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1986 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EP-IRG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Shiraz - Tehran
MSN:
20499
YOM:
1971
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
75
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft was taxiing and preparing for takeoff at Shiraz Airport when it was hit by an air-to-surface missile shot by the pilot of an Iraqi fighter who was attacking the airport. The B737 caught fire and was partially destroyed by fire. Three passengers were killed, 30 other occupants were injured and 47 unhurt.
Probable cause:
Destroyed by an air-to-ground missile.

Crash of a Let L-410MU off Ust-Maya: 14 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1986 at 1414 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-67264
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Yakutsk – Ust-Maya – Allakh-Yun
MSN:
78 09 05
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
SU763
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on the gravel Airstrip at Ust-Maya Airstrip, after passing V1, the left turbocompressor lost power then the engine stopped, 1,8 second before V2 speed. Power on the right engine was increased till 96% and the crew continued the takeoff procedure. Liftoff was completed at a speed of 160 km/h then the aircraft climbed to a height of 50 meters and entered a left turn. Slowly, the altitude dropped and the aircraft eventually crashed in the Aldan River about 270 meters offshore. The wreckage sank and was found 31 hours later. All 14 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the failure of the left engine was the consequence of errors on part of the crew who failed to follow the pre-takeoff engine checklist. The aircraft's speed at takeoff was insufficient and the engine failure occurred at a critical stage of the takeoff procedure, causing a loss of controllability after liftoff. During climbout, the speed decreased because the crew did not raise the landing gear due to high workload caused by an emergency situation.

Crash of a Short SC.7 Skyvan 3 Variant 200 near Manado: 13 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-ESC
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Mangole - Manado
MSN:
1923
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
While approaching Manado-Sam Ratulangi Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Takawirang located few km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 13 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander III-2 off Port-de-Paix

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
VQ-TAJ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kingston - Cockburn Town
MSN:
1009
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Kingston, Jamaica, to Cockburn Town, Grand Turk, the three engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Port-de-Paix, Haiti. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of an Airbus A300B2-1C in Madras

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1986 at 0719 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ELV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Madras - Bombay
MSN:
22
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
IC571
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
185
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
20865
Circumstances:
During taxiing for takeoff, the commander gave controls to copilot for takeoff. During takeoff roll, the commander and the copilot sighted a large bird towards the right hand side and the commander told the copilot to continue with takeoff. The copilot reportedly saw another large bird on the runway centreline when the aircraft speed was around 150 knots. The copilot rotated the aircraft and when the aircraft attained 5 to 8° nose up attitude, a loud noise was heard from the right side followed by severe vibration. The commande took over the controls from the copilot at this stage and initiated action to abort the takeoff. Reverse thrust and wheel brakes were applied but the aircraft could not be stopped on the runway and rolled over to kutcha ground. There was no fire but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. All 196 occupants were evacuated, among them 14 were slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision of the commander to reject the take-off after the aircraft had been rotated for a lift-off, following a loud sound and severe vibrations from right engine due to bird hit.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.114 Heron 2 in Vanua Balavu: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1986 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DQ-FEC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vanua Balavu - Suva-Nausori
MSN:
14078
YOM:
1955
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Takeoff from Vanua Balavu Airport was initiated in poor weather conditions. During the takeoff roll, the airplane deviated to the left then veered off runway and eventually collided with trees. A passenger was killed while both other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot lost control of the aircraft during the takeoff roll in poor weather conditions (low visibility) as he was partially incapacitated due to medication.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Cluj-Napoca: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-AMF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bucharest - Cluj
MSN:
27307902
YOM:
1972
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the airplane landed nose first at Cluj-Napoca Airport. The ground impact was so hard that the cockpit was destroyed and the aircraft came to rest on runway. All three crew members in the cockpit were killed while 52 other occupants were evacuated safely.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-32 in Cerritos: 79 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1986 at 1152 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-JED
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Mexico City – Guadalajara – Loreto – Tijuana – Los Angeles
MSN:
47356
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
AM498
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
58
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
79
Captain / Total flying hours:
10641
Captain / Total hours on type:
4632.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1463
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1245
Circumstances:
AeroMéxico flight AM498 was a scheduled passenger flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles with intermediate stops at Guadalajara, Loreto and Tijuana. The DC-9, named 'Hermosillo', departed Tijuana Airport at 11:20 and proceeded toward Los Angeles at FL100. At 11:44 Coast Approach Control cleared the flight to 7,000 feet. Just three minutes earlier Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee N4891F departed Torrance Airport, CA for a VFR flight to Big Bear, CA. On board were a pilot and two passengers. The Piper pilot turned to an easterly heading toward the Paradise VORTAC and entered the Terminal Control Area (TCA) without receiving clearance from ATC as required by FAR Part 91.90. At 11:47 the AeroMéxico pilot contacted LA Approach Control and reported level at 7,000 feet. The approach controller cleared flight 498 to depart Seal Beach on a heading of 320 degrees for the ILS runway "two five left final approach course...". At 11:51:04, the approach controller asked the flight to reduce its airspeed to 190 KIAS and cleared it to descend to 6,000 feet. At about 11:52:09, flight 498 and the Piper collided over Cerritos at an altitude of about 6,560 feet. The Piper struck the left hand side of the DC-9's horizontal and vertical stabilizer. The horizontal stabilizer sliced through the Piper's cabin following which it separated from the tailplane. Both planes tumbled down out of control. The wreckage and post impact fires destroyed five houses and damaged seven others. Fifteen persons on the ground were killed. The sky was clear, the reported visibility was 14 miles.
Probable cause:
The limitations of the ATC system to provide collision protection, through both ATC procedures and automated redundancy. Factors contributing to the accident were:
- The inadvertent and unauthorized entry of the PA-28 into the Los Angeles Terminal Control Area and
- The limitations of the 'see and avoid' concept to ensure traffic separation under the conditions of the conflict.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402A on Mt Otto

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P2-GKP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Madang - Goroka
MSN:
402A-0121
YOM:
1969
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot started the descent to Goroka in marginal weather conditions when the aircraft struck trees and crashed on the slope of Mt Otto located 15 km northeast of Goroka Airport. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Keperveyem

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-91748
Flight Phase:
MSN:
1G37-25
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed near Keperveyem after the crew failed to follow the minimum prescribed altitude.