Crash of a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress in Rochelle

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1976 at 0815 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Dothan Aviation Corporation
Registration:
N4710C
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cordele - Cordele
MSN:
8721
YOM:
1942
Location:
Rochelle
Georgia
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8205
Captain / Total hours on type:
245.00
Circumstances:
The crew departed Cordele-Crisp County Airport on a local crop control mission consisting of spraying forests. En route, one of the engine caught fire. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed and came to rest in flames. While both occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Fire in engine for undetermined reasons. The following findings were reported:
- Suspected or known aircraft damage,
- Fire started at or near carburetor.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Shardara: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1976 at 1940 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-03504
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G46-13
YOM:
1964
Location:
Shardara
South Kazakhstan
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
7967
Aircraft flight cycles:
26952
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a crop spraying mission for the sovkhoz of 'Lenin' located about 45 km from Shardara, south Kazakhstan. The goal of the flight was to spray insecticides on cotton plantations. After takeoff, the engine was not running properly and the crew encountered difficulties to gain sufficient height. The airplane passed over trees at a speed lower than 120 km/h then struck the tops of poplars (30 metres high) located 2,190 metres from the departure point. The airplane stalled and crashed 35 metres further. The captain was killed instantly and the copilot, injured but stuck in the cockpit, asked for help when the engine caught fire about 3-5 minutes later. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and the copilot died.
Probable cause:
Two valves obstructed by calamine caused the engine to lose power and the aircraft to lose speed. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Aircraft usage in a dusty environment,
- High OAT,
- Poor fuel quality.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Sakhapta: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1976 at 0655 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-55791
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Sakhapta - Sakhapta
MSN:
1G51-04
YOM:
1964
Location:
Sakhapta
Krasnoyarsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
7740
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a crop spraying flight on behalf of the sovkhoz of Sakhaptinsky. While flying at a height of 50 meters, the pilot-in-command initiated a right turn to an angle of 20-25° when the engine started to misrunning. The airplane lost height then struck the ground in a right bank of 45° and came to rest 74 metres further. All three occupants were seriously injured. The technician died three days later and the copilot died six days later.
Probable cause:
The engine started to misrunning when the pilot-in-command initiated a turn to the right as the engine was connected to the left tank that was quit empty at that time.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Valikhanovo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1976 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70531
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Valikhanovo - Valikhanovo
MSN:
1G145-07
YOM:
1973
Location:
Valikhanovo
Akmola
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
2486
Aircraft flight cycles:
10995
Circumstances:
On a test flight from Valikhanovo after an engine repair during crop-spraying operations in the Valikhanovo district (Kokchetau region of Kazakhstan) when one of the propeller blades broke away in flight due to fatigue fracture, causing violent vibration, whereupon the engine mount failed. The aircraft turned to the left and the propeller cut through the spar of the left lower wing, causing the wing box to collapse. Aircraft went out of control and span into a field 2 km SSW of the "Yuzhny" collective farm (at N52°33' E71°36'). Both pilots and the sole passenger (an aircraft mechanic) were killed. The propeller had been fitted only the day before the accident.
Probable cause:
Propeller blade's separated in flight.

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

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1976
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70481
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Amangeldy - Amangeldy
MSN:
1G143-60
YOM:
1973
Location:
Amangeldy
Akmola
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
2406
Aircraft flight cycles:
9391
Circumstances:
Following crop-spraying operations for the Bestau sovkhoz (state farm) in the Kustanai region of Kazakhstan, the intoxicated crew made an unauthorized flight to Amangeldy (Komsomolski district of the Aktyubinsk region). While the aircraft was parked there, an intoxicated aviation mechanic took off twice and the aircraft crashed during the second flight on the banks of the river Tolybai and exploded. The only occupant was killed.
Probable cause:
Intoxicated pilot.

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

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1976 at 0906 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70819
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Engels - Engels
MSN:
1G133-22
YOM:
1971
Location:
Engels
Saratov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
357
Captain / Total hours on type:
88.00
Aircraft flight hours:
3285
Aircraft flight cycles:
9507
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a crop-spraying mission for the sovkhoz (state farm) n°592 located in Engels. The crew started the mission at 0754LT and while cruising at a low height, the aircraft banked left and right to an angle of 45° and then nosed down to an angle of 30°. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in flames in a field and was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was caused by a stall due to an insufficient speed. The experience of the crew was too low and he failed to pass the last medical exam.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2SKh in Novonikolayevka: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1976 at 1739 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-79935
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Novonikolayevka - Novonikolayevka
MSN:
1167 473 13
YOM:
1961
Location:
Novonikolayevka
East Kazakhstan
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
8766
Aircraft flight cycles:
20533
Circumstances:
On an unauthorized flight during crop spraying operations for the sovkhoz (state farm) of Balapanovski from an airstrip located about 5 km northeast of Novonikolayevka (Beskaragai district of the Semipalatinsk region), the pilot completed a steep turn to left at low height when the airplane stalled and crashed in an open field located 1,700 metres from the airfield at N51°06'12" E79°27'12" and caught fire. The pilot and a passenger were killed while two other passengers were seriously injured. One of the survivor, a teenager, died a day later.
Probable cause:
Poor discipline on part of the pilot who decided to attempt an unauthorized flight with illegal people on board and completed hazardous manoeuvres.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2SKh near Kursk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1976 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-33170
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kursk - Kursk
MSN:
1145 473 04
YOM:
1960
Location:
Kursk
Kursk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
7750
Aircraft flight cycles:
22756
Circumstances:
On a crop spraying flight for the kolkhoz (collective farm) "Oktyabr" at Besedino (Kursk district of the Kursk region) when lifted off at low speed after a take off run of 300 metres (the crew had neglected the influence of the tail/cross wind). The aircraft stalled at a height of some 10-15 metres and crashed 235 metres behind the runway threshold, about 15 km east of Kursk. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Premature liftoff on part of the pilot-in-command.
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