Date & Time:
Feb 15, 1977 at 2317 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75520
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tashkent - Nukus - Mineralnye Vody
MSN:
183 0067 03
YOM:
1963
Flight number:
SU5003
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
92
Pax fatalities:
76
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
77
Aircraft flight hours:
29443
Aircraft flight cycles:
10817
Circumstances:
On final approach to Mineralnye Vody Airport by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. At a speed of 290 km/h, flaps were deployed at an angle of 30°, causing the airspeed to drop to 260 km/h. At a distance of 1,500 metres from the runway threshold, the captain decided to initiate a go-around as he was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway. During initial climb, at an altitude of about 90 metres, the airplane entered a right turn then rolled to the right at an angle of 15-30° and adopted a critical angle of attack of 15-18°. The tail stall and the airplane crashed in flames 2 km south of the airport. A crew member and 76 passengers were killed while 21 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to adopt a proper go-around configuration after a missed approach. The loss of control during initial climb was the result of a premature raise of the flaps, which caused the aircraft to reach a critical angle of attack and to stall.
