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Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Leningrad

Date & Time: May 18, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42483
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
0 2 15 01
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach, the aircraft stalled and crashed 1,5 km short of runway threshold. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the stall was caused by an insufficient approach speed due to poor interaction on part of the flying crew.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V near Urakhcha: 67 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1963 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75866
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow – Krasnoyarsk
MSN:
183 0059 01
YOM:
1963
Flight number:
SU025
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
59
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
67
Aircraft flight hours:
154
Aircraft flight cycles:
68
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 7,500 meters, the engine number four failed. Unable to determine which of the right engine failed, the crew shot down both engines and feathered both propellers. Control was lost and the airplane banked right and entered a dive. The aircraft reached a rate of descent of 1,800 meters per minute (30 meters per second). The ailerons were sheared off and after passing through the last cloud layer at an altitude of 200 meters, the crew elected to regain control but the airplane struck the ground at a speed of 650 km/h and crashed in a snow covered field located 3,5 km southeast of Urakhcha. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and debris were found on 250 meters width and 800 meters long. Both right engines were found 600 meters away from the point of impact and elements of the ailerons were found some 12 km from the crash site. It was determined that both right engines were not running at impact while both left engines were turning at full power. The accident was not survivable.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pitch control mechanism on the engine number four, which caused severe drag and a loss of control.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Magadan

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-11338
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2 4 005 04
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on a snow covered runway, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the right and collided with a snow bank before coming to rest, broken in two. All occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
It is believed the accident was the consequence of a poor takeoff preparation on part of the crew who misaligned the aircraft on the runway and adopted poor takeoff techniques.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2T in Donetsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1963 at 2127 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-63825
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Donetsk - Donetsk
MSN:
184 255 06
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
6224
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local night training mission at Donetsk Airport. Following five uneventful circuits, the crew started a sixth approach in limited visibility due to poor weather conditions. On final, the pilot-in-command decided to continue the descent after passing the decision height despite the fact he was unable to distinguish the runway lights when the airplane struck trees. It banked right to an angle of 20° and crashed in a field located 380 meters to the right of the approach path and 325 meters from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were injured. Six days later, the captain died from his injuries.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew decided to continue the approach after passing the decision height without any visual contact with the runway light and the ground. In such conditions, the crew should abandon the approach for a go around manoeuvre. It is reported that weather conditions worsened during flight, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Ashgabat: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1963 at 1934 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75765
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Krasnovodsk – Ashgabat
MSN:
181 0034 04
YOM:
28
Flight number:
SU191
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
43
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Aircraft flight hours:
2098
Aircraft flight cycles:
1213
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Krasnovodsk Airport at 1804LT and shortly after takeoff, the crew was informed about weather conditions at destination with a sand storm and a visibility limited to 1,000 meters. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 6,000 meters, weather conditions worsened and the crew obtained the permission to modify his route. At a distance of 25 km from Ashgabat, the crew started the descent and reached the altitude of 400 meters when he reported the runway lights in sight. Shortly later, the airplane became unstable and lost height. It banked left to an angle of 7°, struck power cables and a concrete post. Out of control, it banked left to an angle of 30°, stalled and crashed in flames 1,012 meters short of runway threshold. Eight crew members and four passengers were killed while 42 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew who continued the approach in below minima weather conditions. Errors on part of ATC were also reported as they cleared the crew to land in below minima weather conditions and failed to divert the crew to another airport. It was also determined that the information transmitted to the crew relating to weather conditions at destination did not reflect the truth, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V into the Shelikov Gulf: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1963 at 0855 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75732
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mys Schmidta – Anadyr – Magadan
MSN:
181 0026 01
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Aircraft flight hours:
2105
Circumstances:
The crew departed Mys Schmidta (Cape Schmidt) with 14,5 tons of fuel to Anadyr. Following an uneventful flight, a load of 10 tons of meat was loaded in Anadyr and the crew left Anadyr Airport at 0625LT bound for Magadan. One hour and twenty minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 7,000 meters, the radio operator informed ATC that the engine number two failed. The captain started an emergency descent and reach the altitude of 3,000 meters five minutes later when the engine number one failed as well. In such conditions, the crew elected to make an emergency landing on the icy Shelikov Gulf. The airplane belly landed on the ice and slid for several yards before coming to rest 2,700 meters off the coast. It went through the ice and sank. The wreckage and the crew was found six days later, on March 4 at 0830LT. The aircraft was lost and all ten occupants died from hypothermia (OAT -18° C and icy water).
Probable cause:
It was determined that a hot air line located near the engine number two broke in flight. The hot air caused the melting of electrical components and the development of a fire in the engine number two nacelle, followed by the rupture of a fuel hose. Unfortunately, the aircraft was not equipped with life jackets, signaling equipment or warm clothing.

Crash of an Antonov AN-10A in Syktyvkar: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1963 at 1737 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-11193
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Syktyvkar - Syktyvkar
MSN:
0 4 021 04
YOM:
30
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
2156
Aircraft flight cycles:
1158
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a check flight at Syktyvkar Airport. During the final approach completed by night, the engines number 1, 2 & 3 flamed out in clouds and icing conditions. The crew was unable to feather the propeller that went in auto-rotation. Due to drag, the aircraft lost speed and height, banked left to an angle of 90°, struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located in Verkhnyaya Maksakovka, 10,2 km east of the Syktyvkar Airport. All 7 crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The engine flame out was probably caused by the air intake iced up. The crew inexperience and the poor efficiency of the air-intake heating system were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Kirovograd: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1963 at 2132 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-71229
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Malaya Viska – Kirovograd
MSN:
60 03
YOM:
21
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a training mission from Malaya Viska to Kirovograd, carrying five crew members and six passengers, one instructor, three auditors and two employees of the company. While approaching Kirovograd Airport by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a limited visibility due to fog, a worse situation than predicted. On final, while at an altitude of 40 meters, the instructor in command was unable to locate the runway and decided to continue the approach. Doing so, he failed to realize that the airplane banked right to an angle of 20° and lost altitude when it struck the ground and came to rest in flames 400 meters to the right of the approach path. Four crew members were killed and seven other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the instructor who decided to continue the approach in below minima weather conditions. Taking into consideration the fact that the crew was unable to locate the runway at decision height, the instructor should make a go around and divert to another airport or returning to his departure point.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Leninakan: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1963 at 1006 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-28900
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Yerevan – Leninakan – Akhalkalaki
MSN:
1G07-14
YOM:
30
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
1340
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Leninakan Airport at 0954LT on the second leg of a flight from Yerevan to Akhalkalaki. Eight minutes into the flight, while cruising in good weather conditions, the crew informed ATC about his position about 20 km north of Leninakan. Four minutes later, the airplane lost height and then climbed, banked left and right then nosed down and crashed in flames in a 90° nose down attitude in a mountainous area located near the village of Sesapar, some 30 km north of Leninakan. The airplane was totally destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were good.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the board retained the following assumptions:
- Moving passengers towards the rear of the cabin, causing the center of gravity to be outside the envelope,
- Failure of the control cables,
- Attack of the crew in flight.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Seymchan: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1963 at 1409 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-16194
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Pevek – Zyrianka – Seymchan – Magadan
MSN:
58 04
YOM:
0
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
13792
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Pevek to Magadan with intermediate stops at Zyrianka and Seymchan, carrying a load of reindeer skins for a total weight of 800 kilos. Due to strong winds, the airplane deviated from the prescribed flight plan and nor the crew nor ATC were able to note this. While approaching a mountainous area in poor weather conditions, the crew encountered downdrafts. The airplane lost altitude and descended from 2,400 to 1,820 meters in few seconds before crashing on the slope of Mt Tuonnyakh. The wreckage was found four days later some 53 km northwest of Seymchan and all four crew members were killed in the accident.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to follow navigation rules and failed to maintain regular communication contacts with ATC who also failed to assist the crew properly. Information transmitted to the crew and related to wind component did not reflect the truth, which was considered as a contributing factor.