Date & Time:
Dec 7, 1958 at 2242 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2096
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Voronezh – Stalingrad
MSN:
7 34 29 07
YOM:
21
Flight number:
SU213
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
2336
Circumstances:
The approach to Stalingrad Airport was completed by night and poor weather conditions with snow falls and fog. On final, at an altitude of 200 meters, as the pilot-in-command failed to establish a visual contact with the runway lights, he decided to abandon the approach and made a go around. ATC advised the crew to divert to Rostov or Voronezh but the captain obtained the permission to attempt a second approach. On final, in poor visibility, he was again unable to establish a visual contact with the runway lights but continued the approach when the copilot asked for a new go around procedure. In the mean time, the airplane struck tree tops, rolled to the right and crashed in a field located one km short of runway threshold. The flight mechanic was killed while all other occupants were rescued, some of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration and poor techniques on part of the pilot-in-command who decided to continue the approach without visual contact with the runway lights. He also led the airplane passing below the minimum descend altitude without visual contact with the ground and in below-minima weather conditions.
