Date & Time:
May 5, 1989 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-09679
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Krasnodar – Volgograd – Uralsk – Sterlitamak
MSN:
1G76-13
YOM:
1966
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
16770
Aircraft flight cycles:
18909
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was engaged in a cargo flight from Krasnodar to Sterlitamak with two intermediate stops in Volgograd and Uralsk, carrying two pilots, two passengers (beekeepers) and a load of boxes containing thousands of bees. Just after liftoff, at a height of about 1,5 meter, the aircraft's speed dropped and the tail stalled, hitting the runway surface. Out of control, the aircraft flew/rolled for few hundred meters then crashed 420 meters past the runway end. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. A passenger died from his injuries few hours later.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to prepare the flight according to procedures and all boxes were not properly weighted. Due to a misevaluation of the box weight, the crew allowed a too high number of boxes to be stored in the cargo compartment. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 6,081 kilos which means 831 kilos above the max allowable takeoff weight. Also, the CofG was 40,8% over the aft limit. In such conditions, the aircraft could not be flow in a safely manner.
