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

Date & Time: May 17, 2011 at 1915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-68122
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G195-27
YOM:
1982
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8000
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was performing a crop spraying flight when the engine lost power. He elected to make an emergency landing in a field 2 kilometers from Sofyevka, in the Stavropol krai. Upon touchdown, the aircraft rolled over and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. The pilot escaped uninjured while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire. The wreck was evacuated and disposed away before the arrival of the accident investigation commission. Therefore, it was not possible to the MAK to determine the cause of the engine failure. As the pilot did not have any valid licence for this kind of aircraft, this PZL-Mielec AN-2R built on 11FEB1982 did not have a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. It had a double registration: FLA-34906 and RA-68122 which was the official one present in the Russian Civil Aviation registry.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

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

Date & Time: Mar 30, 2011 at 1418 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UR-54873
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G185-33
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a crop spraying flight in Dibrova, some 60 km northwest from Zhytomyr. In flight, the engine caught fire and crew elected to make an emergency landing in an open field. Upon touchdown, the aircraft rolled for few metres then overturned and came to rest upside down. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing after the engine caught fire in flight for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24A-954 in Wynella Station: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 2010 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
VH-FNM
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wynella Station - Wynella Station
MSN:
263
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
5815
Circumstances:
On 20 December 2010, the owner/pilot of a Pacific Aerospace Corporation FU-24-954 Fletcher aircraft, registered VH-FNM, was conducting aerial spreading of urea fertilizer at Wynella Station; a property 40 km south-south-west of Dirranbandi, Queensland. At about 1650 Eastern Standard Time, the pilot was returning to the landing strip after the completion of an application run. The aircraft impacted the terrain, and the pilot was fatally injured.
Probable cause:
Examination of the accident site indicated that the aircraft’s engine was delivering power at the time of impact. Wreckage examination did not reveal evidence of any defect or mechanical failure that would have contributed to the event. Although the post-mortem report on the pilot noted that he had significant coronary atherosclerosis, there was insufficient information available to determine whether pilot incapacitation was involved in the accident. The investigation did not identify any organisational or systemic issues that might adversely affect the future safety of aviation
operations.
Final Report:

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

Date & Time: Aug 3, 2010 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UR-17915
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G205-56
YOM:
1984
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a crop-spraying flight when a unexpected situation occurred. The pilot-in-command attempted an emergency landing in a dirt track located between Kumushkino and Botanichnoye, when the aircraft crash landed. Both occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. According to Ukrainian authorities, it appears that the aircraft was operated without any CofA and CofR.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Goryachy Klyuch

Date & Time: May 6, 2010 at 1026 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-40373
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Goryachy Klyuch - Goryachy Klyuch
MSN:
1G222-52
YOM:
1986
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
4120
Aircraft flight cycles:
18409
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from an open field located in Goryachy Klyuch, Krasnodar krai, while at a height of about 15 metres, the single engine aircraft stalled and crashed on a river shore. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The crew was supposed to treat a wooded area with chemical products and the aircraft was carrying about 700 liters of this product at the time of the accident.
Probable cause:
The accident of airplane AN-2 RA-40373 was the result of the nose striking the ground during the execution of a forced landing due to shutdown of the ASz-62IR engine while in the process of taking off, most likely due to ingress of water into the carburetor from the fuel system of the aircraft, which led to the shutdown of the engine.
The cause of the accident was a combination of the following factors:
- Failure to comply with guidelines in part: checking facility for storing and dispensing aviation fuels and lubricants, monitoring and verification of the fuel sludge discharge after refueling for the lack of water and solids;
- Execution of a forced landing straight ahead outside the landing area on difficult terrain, covered with forests, a rugged ravine and a creek.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Marianivka

Date & Time: May 4, 2010 at 0817 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from a field located 3 km from Marianivka, west from Odessa, while climbing to a height of about 150 metres, the engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Fletcher FU24-950 Fletcher in Waipukurau

Date & Time: Apr 20, 2010 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-EGT
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waipukurau - Waipukurau
MSN:
242
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was engaged in a crop spraying mission on a plantation close to a farm located in Waipukurau. The accident occurred on takeoff in unknown circumstances. While the pilot was seriously injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2R near Saransk

Date & Time: Apr 15, 2010 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RF-00259
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saransk - Saransk
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a crop spraying mission, the engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field located about 20 km from Saransk-Lyambir Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the Certificate of Airworthiness and the Certificate of Registration were out of date.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

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

Date & Time: Oct 6, 2009 at 1938 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
ST-AUS
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Umgalala - Umgalala
MSN:
1G156-23
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
6481
Circumstances:
The Antonov 2 aircraft was assigned to spray birds at the white Nile Scheme. The aircraft arrived at Um-galala airstrip 5 days before the accident date and carried out seven spraying flight in the previous five days. The spraying of birds start daily about 18:30 local time and took about 50 minutes flight. According to the scheduled operation the aircraft started its flight ten minutes before Sun set to fly to the assigned bird location for spraying chemicals.On the day of the accident the airstrip lights were positioned by the captain himself at the edges of the airstrip. He put seven lamps at the left side and three lamps at the right side of the airstrip. The red lamp which should have been placed at the beginning of the airstrip was not placed that day due to a flat battery. At about 15:45 UTC the aircraft took-off for spraying birds. That night was dark and there was no moon light. After take-off the technician switched on all lamps except the red one waiting for aircraft arrival. Fifty minutes after take-off the aircraft was seen approaching the airstrip. The aircraft came flying over the strip at a height of about 25 meters and made a left turn. The aircraft then made another approach and came over the left row of lamps at a height of about 10 meters, as stated by the technician, and made a sharp left turn. At that instant the aircraft went down and crashed east of the airstrip. A fire erupted. The pilot died of his injuries. Although the airplane was formally registered ST-AUS in July 2009, the airplane still carried its previous Polish registration mark SP-WMH.
Probable cause:
The captain, as he was not rated for instrument flying, was disoriented by the absence of the red lamp which was used to indicate the beginning and center line of the airstrip in addition to remains of birds on windscreen which decreased the pilot vision. The presence of some people from the village within the East side of airstrip causing illusion of vision to the pilot was considered a contributory factor to this accident.

Crash of a Beechcraft E18S in Jones Creek

Date & Time: Oct 3, 2009 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N797SB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Angleton - Angleton
MSN:
BA-172
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1832
Captain / Total hours on type:
37.00
Circumstances:
The pilot was spraying a marshy area for mosquitoes. After making a spray pass, he made a right 180-degree turn to an easterly heading and the right wing struck a radio tower. The pilot didn't know the extent of the damage and there appeared to be a "controllability issue." He elected to land in a pasture. During the landing, the airplane struck and killed a cow and a bull, then collided with a pile of wood, resulting in substantial damage. The unlit 100-foot radio tower was within the walls of a correctional facility, was used for ground communications, and has been there for several years. It was not marked on sectional charts.
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to see and avoid the radio tower.
Final Report: