Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Băleni

Date & Time: Jun 6, 2018 at 1410 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-DAX
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Băleni - Băleni
MSN:
1G216-16
YOM:
1990
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
3209.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
8684
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a crop spraying flight in Băleni and was spraying insecticides on fields. While passing from a field to an other, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when, passing over a road, the airplane struck the roof of a truck. Out of control, the airplane crash landed in a field and came to rest, bursting into flames. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a loss of control following an in-flight collision with a truck. The crew failed to observe the potential traffic passing on the road while flying at a very low height of three metres above the ground, which was considered as a contributing factor.
Final Report:

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

Date & Time: Aug 26, 2017 at 1750 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-33036
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Yeniseysk - Yeniseysk
MSN:
1G218-23
YOM:
1986
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
5600
Captain / Total hours on type:
894.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2160
Copilot / Total hours on type:
49
Aircraft flight hours:
4754
Aircraft flight cycles:
12934
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Yeniseysk in the afternoon on a spraying mission over forest area, carrying two pilots. About 40 minutes into the flight, while completing a third pass at an altitude of about 400 metres, smoke spread in the cockpit. The crew decided to return to Yeniseysk when few minutes later, the engine lost power. Fuel leaked from the engine and spread over the windshield. The crew reduced his altitude to 50 metres and the speed to 85 km/h, preparing for an emergency landing. With the flaps down to 45°, the aircraft collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area located 75 km north of Yeniseysk. Both pilots were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power due to the failure of the cylinder n°5 caused by a faulty manufacturing.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Kiliya

Date & Time: Jun 27, 2017 at 1444 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
UR-19717
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kiliya - Kiliya
MSN:
1G165-31
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3403
Captain / Total hours on type:
2782.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1110
Copilot / Total hours on type:
72
Aircraft flight hours:
10030
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a spraying mission over rice paddy fields in the region of Kiliya, Odessa. While completing the 18th sortie of the day, flying at a height of 50 metres and at a speed of 140-150 km/h, the engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft hit obstacles and trees and crashed. The captain escaped unhurt while the copilot was slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight due to fuel exhaustion.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Poor flight preparation on part of the crew who failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist,
- The fuel selector was in the wrong position,
- Poor organization on part of the operator, regarding implementation of procedures related to agricultural flghts.
Final Report:

Crash of a Pacific Aerospace FU-24 Stallion in Upper Turon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 2017 at 1049 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
VH-EUO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Upper Turon - Upper Turon
MSN:
3002
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
4688
Captain / Total hours on type:
786.00
Aircraft flight hours:
11059
Circumstances:
On 16 June 2017, a Pacific Aerospace Ltd FU24 Stallion, registered VH-EUO (EUO), was conducting aerial agricultural operations from a private airstrip at Redhill, 36 km north-north-east of Bathurst, New South Wales (NSW). The operations planned for that day involved the aerial application of fertiliser on three properties in the Upper Turon area of NSW. At about 0700 Eastern Standard Time on the morning of the accident, the pilot and loader drove to Bathurst Airport to fill the fuel tanker and then continued to the worksite at the Redhill airstrip in the Upper Turon area, arriving at about 0830. Work on the first property started at about 0900, with the first flight of the day commencing at 0920. Work on the first property continued until 1350 with two refuelling stops at 1048 and 1250. Approximately 40 tonnes of fertiliser was applied on the first job. In preparation for the second job, fertiliser and seed were loaded into the aircraft and maps of the second job area were passed to the pilot. At 1357, the aircraft took off for the first flight of the second job. The aircraft returned to reload, and at 1405 the aircraft took off for the second flight. A short time later, at 14:06:59, recorded flight data from the aircraft ceased. When the aircraft did not return as expected, the loader radioed the pilot. When the loader could not raise the pilot on the radio, he became concerned and drove his vehicle down the airstrip to see if the aircraft had experienced a problem on the initial climb. Finding no sign of the aircraft, he returned to the load site, while continuing to call the pilot on the radio. He then drove to the application area to search for the aircraft before returning to the load site. With no sign of the aircraft, the loader called emergency services to raise the alarm. By about 1500, police had arrived on site and a ground search commenced. A police helicopter also joined the search, which was eventually called off due to low light. The next morning, at about 0630, the search recommenced and included NSW Police State Emergency Service personnel, and local volunteers. At about 0757, the wreckage of the aircraft was found in dense bush on the side of a hill to the east of the application area. The pilot was found deceased in the aircraft. The aircraft was found approximately 17 hours after the last recorded flight data and there were no witnesses to the accident.
Probable cause:
From the evidence available, the following findings are made with respect to the collision with terrain involving a FU24 Stallion, VH-EUO 40 km north-east of Bathurst, New South Wales on 16 June 2017. These findings should not be read as apportioning blame or liability to any particular organisation or individual.
Contributing factors:
- The pilot flew the aircraft into an area of rising terrain that was outside the normal operating area for this job site.
- For reasons that could not be determined, the aircraft aerodynamically stalled and collided with terrain during re-positioning at the end of the application run.
Other findings:
- There was no evidence of any defect with the aircraft that would have contributed to the loss of control.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Novopokrovskoye: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 2016 at 0604 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-33462
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Novopokrovskoye - Novopokrovskoye
MSN:
1G228-12
YOM:
1988
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
4398
Captain / Total hours on type:
2140.00
Aircraft flight hours:
3370
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a crop spraying mission, carrying a load of herbicides, one passenger and one pilot. In the early morning, while completing a seventh low pass, at a height of about 20-40 metres, the pilot initiated a left turn when the aircraft descended to the ground and crashed at a speed of 140 km/h in an open field, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Fatal accident with Аn-2 RA-33462 agricultural aircraft occurred during aerial works on crop-dusting and was caused most probably by the piloting error consisting in unintentional descent when performing a turn for the next crop-dusting round which resulted in the aircraft controlled flight into terrain.
Most probably, the following factors contributed to the accident:
- The PIC not trained for crop-dusting flight without first officer,
- The PIC conducting the flight with a passenger on first-officer’s seat,
- The presence of alcohol in PIC's and the passenger's bodies,
- A possible transfer of the aircraft control from PIC to the passenger (former An-2 pilot) made by PIC,
- Violations of An-2 AFM and FAR-128 requirements on maintaining heights, bank angles during turns and flight speed while crop-dusting,
- Krasny Kut Civil Aviation Flight School management not controlling crop-dusting operations at the fields.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Bereke: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 2016
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UP-A0273
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bereke - Bereke
MSN:
1G184-11
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a crop spraying mission in Bereke, northwest of Almaty, carrying one pilot and one passenger, a mechanic. While flying at low height, the engine started to vibrate and lost power. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane hit the ground and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed and the mechanic was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-A90-1 King Air in Slidell: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 2016 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7MC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Slidell - Slidell
MSN:
LM-106
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
18163
Captain / Total hours on type:
614.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7769
Copilot / Total hours on type:
22
Aircraft flight hours:
15208
Circumstances:
The airline transport pilot and commercial copilot were conducting a mosquito abatement application flight. Although flight controls were installed in both positions, the pilot typically operated the airplane. During a night, visual approach to landing at their home airfield, the airplane was on the left base leg and overshot the runway's extended centerline and collided with 80-ft-tall power transmission towers and then impacted terrain. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Both pilots were experienced with night operations, especially at their home airport. The pilot had conducted operations at the airport for 14 years and the copilot for 31 years, which might have led to crew complacency on the approach . Adequate visibility and moon disk illumination were available; however, the area preceding the runway is a marsh and lacks cultural lighting, which can result in black-hole conditions in which pilots may perceive the airplane to be higher than it actually is while conducting an approach visually. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot experiencing the black hole illusion which contributed to him flying an approach profile that was too low for the distance remaining to the runway. It is likely that the pilot did not maintain adequate crosscheck of his altimeter and radar altimeter during the approach and that the copilot did not monitor the airplane's progress; thus, the flight crew did not recognize that they were not maintaining a safe approach path. Further, it is likely that neither pilot used the visual glidepath indicator at the airport, which is intended to be a countermeasure against premature descent in visual conditions.
Probable cause:
The unstable approach in black-hole conditions, resulting in the airplane overshooting the runway extended centerline and descending well below a safe glidepath for the runway. Contributing to the accident was the lack of monitoring by the copilot allowing the pilot to fly well below a normal glidepath.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Maryevka: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 2016 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Maryevka while completing a crop spraying mission. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Aksarino

Date & Time: Apr 3, 2016 at 0732 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-54828
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Aksarino - Aksarino
MSN:
1G184-35
YOM:
16
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6095
Aircraft flight hours:
6782
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a crop spraying mission over plantation located near Aksarino, Republic of Tatarstan, and the aircraft was carrying a load of 1,200 kilos of fertilizers. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the engine encountered technical problems. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Most probably the accident with An-2 RA-54828 aircraft after its takeoff in order to perform crop dusting was caused by inadvertent engine cut-off due to water ingestion into fuel flow system. Most probably water ingestion into engine fuel flow system was due to violation of refueling procedure by the crew. The aircraft sustained significant damage during the emergency landing on slush soft surface.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Stăncuța: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 2015 at 0805 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-PEG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G197-44
YOM:
1982
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
6577
Circumstances:
The history of occurrence was established based on the witnesses’ statements. On 31.07.2015, the aircraft AN-2 registered YR-PEG was positioned on a flight field in the vicinity of the farm in Stӑncuţa commune, Brăila County, being prepared in order to perform several aviochemical flights in Giurgeni area on the following day. In the morning of 01.08.2015, the pilot and the aeronautical technical staff from his team were informed by the beneficiary of aviochemical works that, because it was raining in Giurgeni area, they will perform some aviochemical flights in Stӑncuţa area, in the vicinity of the flight field. Consequently, the aircraft was prepared for the flight in the area as follows: 200 l of gasoline were defueled from the aircraft tanks, the engine was started and the operating parameters were checked according to the specific diagram. The aircraft was supplied with chemical substances for the aerial work and after only a few minutes, the engine was started again, in order to take-off. Onboard there were the pilot and an aeronautical technician (hereinafter referred to as passenger) who occupied the pilot's seat on the right. The take-off on the S-N direction was normal in the first part. The take-off run was short – approximately 100 m, in the witnesses’ opinion – under the conditions of a gusty wind from the E direction, whose speed was gradually increasing. During the initial climb, at a height of about 15-20 m, the aircraft began to lean to the left and descend slightly. During this turn in descent, bank angle continued to increase, the aircraft flying with the left wing at very low height above the aircrafts parked towards the northern end of the flight field. Considering the aircraft evolution and observing that the pilot was not acting for correction, the passenger onboard on the right-hand pilot seat, tried instinctively to turn the aircraft control yoke to the right. According to his statement, he failed to operate the control yoke, considering that this was in a blocking state of which nature he could not specify. With the engine still running in take-off mode, the aircraft continued to descend, and after passing the parked aircrafts, it hit the ground with the propeller and the left wing tip. The impact of the wing tip determined the aircraft to pivot to the left and make a hard contact with the ground. The engine stopped because of the shock. An early fire was extinguished by witnesses arrived at the accident site. Amid the destruction of the cockpit and fuselage, the pilot was thrown out of the aircraft suffering serious injuries. The passenger, who occupied the right-hand seat, managed (after recovering from the shock) to exit the aircraft wreckage. The pilot and passenger were transported to the hospital. Later on, the pilot died due to multiple traumatic injuries, and the passenger required a long hospitalization period due to the injuries suffered. The aircraft was totally destroyed. There was no other damage in the area.
Probable cause:
The probable causes of this accident are the following:
- Temporary incapacitation of the pilot,
- Use of flaps upon take-off in the conditions of deterioration/modification of weather conditions during take-off (wind direction and speed),
- Aircraft operation with incomplete crew.
Final Report: