Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Lviv - Kiev - Kuybyshev

MSN:

3351104

YOM:

1963

Flight number:

SU5398

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

13476

Aircraft flight cycles:

10942

Circumstances:

Following a night takeoff from Lviv-Snilow Airport, while climbing, the crew encountered a major technical failure on the left engine that caught fire. The airplane went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion in Vinniki, about 12 km east of the airfield. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 17 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that a turbine blade located on the 1st stage of the high pressure turbine of the left engine broke off shortly after rotation, due to conception failure. Analyses revealed that the turbine blade that failed had not been the subject of a standard thermic treatment, which had the effect of reducing its resistance and its hardness that was lower than the requirements of the technical specifications. Investigators stated that the turbine blade failure caused a sudden loss of power of the left engine and several debris smashed in the turbine chamber, resulting in the rupture of a fuel line. Under pressure, the fuel leaked into the chamber and ignited while contacting various elements whose temperature was high. Under such circumstances, the flight crew was unable to maintain an adequate control of the aircraft.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Yerevan

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Yakovlev Yak-40

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-87629

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9 14 10 19

YOM:

1971

Location:

Yerevan

Country:

Armenia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Yerevan-Erebuni Airport, the aircraft entered in a patch of fog and the pilots continued the approach despite they lost visual contact with the ground. The airplane struck the runway surface, went out of control and came to rest. While all occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP in Urzhum: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1973 at 0955 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-40521

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kirov – Shurma – Plotbishche - Kirov

MSN:

1G83-24

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

5918

Circumstances:

On the leg from Kirov to Shurma (without passengers or cargo) of a flight from Kirov to Plotbishche, the crew encountered below minima weather conditions (snowfall and poor visibility) between Urzhum and Shurma and suffered from severe icing. The decision to divert to Kilmez was taken too late so the aircraft went out of control due to icing and crashed in a snow covered field between Shevnino and Sanatorny, some 10 km east of Urzhum Airfield. The aircraft caught fire and burnt out, killing both pilots. The wreckage was found two days later, on December 21.

Probable cause:

Loss of control in flight due to severe icing conditions.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-124V in Karacharovo: 51 killed

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1973 at 1910 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-124

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-45061

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Vilnius - Moscow

MSN:

4 35 14 06

YOM:

1964

Flight number:

SU2022

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

14903

Aircraft flight cycles:

13832

Circumstances:

The crew was cleared to descent to 5,700 meters when a technical issue occurred on the elevator trim system. The airplane entered a dive and during the descent, the captain was able to regain control at an altitude of 2,000 meters. While flying by night, the gyro failed and the pilot suffered a spatial disorientation. So he lost again control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in a near vertical attitude at a speed of 900 km/h in an open field located about 480 meters from Karacharovo. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 51 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

An electrical short-circuit occurred in the elevator trim system, causing the elevator to be jammed in a down position. In such conditions, the airplane entered a dive and became uncontrollable after the gyro failed as well.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Moscow: 16 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1973 at 2229 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-104

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-42503

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Kutaisi - Mineralnye Vody - Moscow

MSN:

0 2 19 01

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

SU964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

18300

Aircraft flight cycles:

10983

Circumstances:

The descent to Domodedovo Airport was initiated by night and marginal weather conditions with limited visibility due to snow falls. On final, the airplane was unstable and not properly aligned on the glide so the captain decided to make a turn to the left when the airplane banked left to 35-40°, causing the left wing to struck the ground 135 meters short of runway threshold and 25 meters to the right of its extended centerline. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames and came to rest 340 meters past the threshold and 220 meters to the left of the runway. Five crew members and seven passengers were killed while 63 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. Within 10 days after the accident, four other passengers died from their injuries.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew adopted a wrong approach configuration in marginal weather conditions and failed to initiate a go-around maneuver while the aircraft was not properly aligned on the glide and was unstable. The sharp turn completed by the captain caused the airplane to become uncontrollable and to crash.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-124V in Kazan

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-124

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-45031

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2 35 09 01

YOM:

1962

Location:

Kazan-Borisoglebskoye

Republic of Tatarstan

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After touchdown at Kazan-Borisoglebskoye Airport, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest few dozen meters further. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Kirensk

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-41978

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1 68 473 08

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The engine failed in flight, forcing the crew to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field in Kirensk. There were no casualties.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2P in Kolpashevo

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1973

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-70408

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: