Date & Time:
May 20, 1973 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-55798
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hirnyk - Hirnyk
MSN:
1G51-11
YOM:
1964
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
6947
Aircraft flight cycles:
20001
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a crop spraying flight (herbicides on corn field) for the sovkhoz (state farm) 'Gornyak' located in the Starobeshevo district of the Donetsk region. While flying at a height of about 50 meters, the captain made a sharp turn to the right when the airplane lost height and crashed 3,5 km west of Hirnyk. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire, a pilot was killed as the second occupant was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Error of judgment on part of the pilot-in-command who completed a sharp turn to the right while the aircraft's speed was too low, causing the airplane to stall and to crash.
