Date & Time:
Sep 22, 1971 at 1635 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-96221
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Polotsk – Chelyabinsk
MSN:
1G72-05
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
SU697
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
12
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
14
Aircraft flight hours:
6056
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Polotsk Airport at 1623LT on a flight to Chelyabinsk, carrying 12 passengers (mining workers) and a crew of two. 12 minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 300 meters in good weather conditions, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a steppe located 35 km north of Polotsk. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that none of the 12 passengers were attached and some of them were standing in the rear compartment of the aircraft, prohibited to passengers, the access door to be locked. Various analysis revealed that all passengers were intoxicated at the time of the accident and that they were probably moving in the cabin without the consent of the crew. This situation likely modified the CofG, causing the airplane to become uncontrollable.
