Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Magadan – Evensk – Gizhiga

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Evensk Airport on a cargo flight from Magadan to Gizhiga, the crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds. At an altitude of 800 meters, the airplane struck the top of a hill, continued for several hundred meters and eventually crashed on a second hill (760 meters high) located 30 km west from Evensk Airport. All six occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Negligence on part of the captain who decided to start the descent prematurely without knowing his exact position, in clouds without visual contact with the ground.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12L at Mirny Ice Station

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-04249

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mirny Ice Station (Queen Mary Land)

MSN:

30 099

YOM:

1947

Location:

All Antarctica

Country:

Antarctica

Region:

Antarctica

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Mirny Ice Station, the airplane was too low and struck the ground. On impact, the skis and the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane came to rest on its belly. All five crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. The exact date of the occurrence remains unknown, somewhere in January 1959.

Probable cause:

Too low approach on part of the pilot-in-command.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Stalingrad: 25 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1959 at 0333 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-41863

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moscow – Voronezh – Stalingrad – Baku

MSN:

1460 007 01

YOM:

Flight number:

SU205

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

3922

Circumstances:

On final approach to Stalingrad-Gumrak Airport by night, while at an altitude of 400 meters, the airplane went out of control, banked right and crashed at a speed of 300 km/h in a snow covered field located 5 km from the runway 24 threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact but there was no fire. All 25 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the aircraft may have been mistakenly shot down was not ruled out. Five round holes of a diameter of 10 mm and 35 mm where found in the flight deck. Also, various metallic fragments foreign to the structure of the aircraft were found above the captain's head as well as in his left thigh. It is believed that arms being fired from a military training facility beneath the approach path.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Uralsk

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1458

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moscow – Uralsk – Aktyubinsk

MSN:

83 025 25

YOM:

1948

Flight number:

SU069

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Uralsk Airport, the captain decided to activate the afterburner without informing the rest of the crew. The takeoff roll was longer than expected and he completed the rotation after a run of 750 meters. After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 2-3 meters at a speed of 160 km/h, the captain prematurely ordered the retraction of the landing gear. In a certain confusion, the board mechanic shut down both engines instead of retracting the gears. The aircraft flew for about 605 meters then descended to the ground, rolled for 211 meters and struck a railway embankment and telephone pole. On impact, the airplane lost its undercarriage and slid for several yards before coming to rest. While all five crew members were injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew and lack of crew resources management and coordination. The captain took the decision to activate the afterburner system without any announcement to the rest of the crew and during the takeoff roll and not prior to takeoff which is against the published procedures. This caused a certain confusion in the cockpit.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 in Tashkent: 21 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1958 at 0310 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-61663

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Tashkent Province (Toshkent viloyati)

Schedule:

Mineralnye Vody – Ashgabat – Tashkent

MSN:

6 34 20 07

YOM:

1956

Flight number:

SU466

Location:

Tashkent-Yuzhny

Country:

Uzbekistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

3295

Circumstances:

On approach to Tashkent-Yuzhny Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The visibility was reduced due to the combination of snow falls and night. On final, the captain decided to make a go around and attempted a second approach instead of diverting to a suitable airport. During the second approach, as he was unable to locate the runway, the crew again decided to make a go around when, at a height of 100-150 meters, the airplane stalled, banked right and crashed in a snowy field. All 21 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of wrong decision on part of the crew who decided to continue the approach below weather minima conditions. The crew failed to divert to a suitable terrain and while performing a second go around manoeuvre, the airplane stalled due to an insufficient speed.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 in Ulyanovsk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1958 at 2005 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-41843

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ulyanovsk - Ulyanovsk

MSN:

1460 005 12

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2057

Circumstances:

The crew (six pilots and one instructor) was completing a local night training mission at Ulyanovsk-Baratayevka Airport. While approaching the airfield in icing conditions, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames 400 meters from the airfield. Four occupants were killed while three others were injured. The airplane was partially destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of poor piloting techniques on part of the pilot-in-command and the instructor while performing a transition flight from instruments to visual mode in icing conditions. 10 to 15 millimeters of ice were found on the wings after the accident, which contributed to the stall at low height. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Lack of a clear order in the direction and control of the flight,
- Lack of a training methodology,
- Atmosphere of complacency on part of the instructor, which reduced his self-discipline,
- Insufficient knowledge of the aerodynamic qualities of the aircraft in icing conditions and appropriate action to take in such conditions,
- Insufficient distance between the airplane and the ground to expect recovery.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Cherepovets

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1467

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site: