Crash of an Antonov AN-12BK in Irkutsk: 9 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 2021 at 1945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EW-518TI
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Yakutsk - Irkutsk
MSN:
8 34 61 07
YOM:
1968
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
14625
Captain / Total hours on type:
11182.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5168
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing a cargo flight, carrying two passengers, seven crew members and a load consisting of foods. While on a night approach to Irkutsk-Intl Airport Runway 30, the crew encountered poor visibility due to snow falls. On final, at a height of about 240 metres, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure when the aircraft impacted trees, stalled and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found about 3,1 km short of runway 30. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all nine occupants were killed.

Ground fire of a Transall C-160NG in Dolow

Date & Time: Nov 3, 2021
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EY-360
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mogadishu - Dolow
MSN:
F233
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Mogadishu to Dolow. After landing, the crew stopped the aircraft on the runway and was able to evacuate the cabin before the aircraft would be partially destroyed by fire.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Juba: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 2021 at 1237 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TR-NGT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Juba - Maban
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Juba Airport Runway 13 at 1233LT on a cargo flight to Maban, carrying five crew members and a load consisting of 28 drums of diesel. Three minutes after takeoff, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency. One minute later, the entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed less than 2 km past the runway end, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed. Registration and MSN to be confirmed. It is believed that the aircraft was operated on behalf of Euro Airlines.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Dagi Baru

Date & Time: Oct 29, 2021 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
PK-RVH
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dekai - Dagi Baru
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Dekai-Nop Goliat Airport for a short cargo flight to the Dagi Baru Airstrip with two pilots on board. Weather conditions were considered as good upon arrival. After landing, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest down a ravine. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Cessna 208 Caravan I in Ilaga: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 25, 2021 at 0810 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-SNN
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Timika - Ilaga
MSN:
208-0556
YOM:
2014
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to Ilaga Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. The single engine airplane impacted ground near the runway 25 threshold, lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest on the runway. One of the pilot was killed.

Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-87 in Houston

Date & Time: Oct 19, 2021 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N987AK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Houston - Bedford
MSN:
49404/1430
YOM:
1987
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
22000
Captain / Total hours on type:
4000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
10000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
700
Aircraft flight hours:
49566
Circumstances:
The captain (who was the pilot flying) initiated the takeoff roll, and the airplane accelerated normally. According to the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript, the first officer made the “V1” and then “rotate” callouts. According to the captain (in a postaccident interview), when he pulled back on the control column to rotate the airplane, “nothing happened,” and the control column felt like it “was in concrete” and “frozen.” The CVR captured that the first officer subsequently made the “V2” callout, then the captain said “come on” in a strained voice. Both pilots recalled in postaccident interviews that they both attempted to pull back on the controls, but the airplane did not rotate. The CVR captured that the first officer called out “abort.” The first officer pulled the thrust levers to idle and applied the brakes, and the captain deployed the thrust reversers. (See “Execution of Rejected Takeoff” for more information.) The airplane overran the departure end of the runway and continued through the airport perimeter fence and across a road, striking electrical distribution lines and trees before coming to rest in a pasture, where a postcrash fire ensued. The pilots, two additional crewmembers, and all passengers evacuated the airplane. Two passengers received serious injuries, and one received a minor injury. The airplane was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
The jammed condition of both elevators, which resulted from exposure to localized, dynamic high wind while the airplane was parked and prevented the airplane from rotating during the takeoff roll. Also causal was the failure of Everts Air Cargo, the pilots’ primary employer, to maintain awareness of Boeing-issued, required updates for its manuals, which resulted in the pilots not receiving the procedures and training that addressed the requirement to visually verify during the preflight checks that the elevators are not jammed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 401 in Tapachula: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 2021 at 0716 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XB-RQE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tapachula – Tapachula
MSN:
401-0268
YOM:
1969
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1647
Captain / Total hours on type:
1397.00
Aircraft flight hours:
5237
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Tapachula Airport on a local flight to release Mediterranean flies. A flight plan of four hours was filed, with an altitude of 9,500 feet. The flies should be released in an area corresponding to 60 - 100 NM around the Tapachula VOR. Shortly after takeoff from Tapachula Airport Runway 05, while climbing to an altitude of 1,000 feet, the pilot reported engine problems. The aircraft turned to the right then entered an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in a mango plantation. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Impact of the aircraft against the ground during a tight turn towards the side of the right engine, which showed inadequate performance.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Continuing the flight despite intermittent failures in the fuel flow of engine number 2,
- Failure to adhere to the abnormal engine failure procedure during takeoff,
- Fatigue fracture of the fuel pump shaft of engine number 2.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2T in Alta Mesa

Date & Time: Oct 14, 2021 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N857PF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alta Mesa – Reno
MSN:
1G108-57
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9811
Captain / Total hours on type:
70.00
Aircraft flight hours:
3500
Circumstances:
The pilot stated that the departure started normally but that, after becoming airborne, the airplane controls were not responding to his inputs as expected. The airplane continued to pitch up in a nose-high attitude and he was unable to push the control yoke forward, which he described as feeling like he was “stretching” cables with forward pressure. With the airplane’s pitch uncontrollable, he elected to make a rapid maneuver toward an unpopulated area. The airplane descended into trees; after coming to a stop, a fire erupted. A postaccident examination of the flight control system revealed no definitive evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. Because the elevator system was extensively damaged and was partially consumed by fire, the investigation was not able to determine the cause of the pitch control anomaly. The airplane’s weight and center of gravity (CG) could not be confirmed. The burned remains of items found in the airplane could not be identified and the location of those items at impact could not be confirmed.
Probable cause:
The pilot’s inability to control the airplane’s pitch during departure for reasons that could not be determined because of the extensive fragmentation and thermal damage the airplane sustained in the accident sequence.
Final Report:

Crash of a Socata TBM-910 in Westlock

Date & Time: Oct 10, 2021 at 1102 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-FFYM
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vernon – Calgary – Westlock
MSN:
1190
YOM:
2017
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
235.00
Aircraft flight hours:
449
Circumstances:
The airplane was conducting an instrument flight rules flight from Vernon Airport, British Columbia, to Westlock Aerodrome, Alberta, with a stop at Calgary/Springbank Airport, Alberta, to pick up passengers, after which 1 pilot and 3 passengers were on board. At 1102:26 Mountain Daylight Time, while the aircraft was landing on Runway 28 at Westlock Aerodrome, the aircraft bounced and the pilot initiated a go-around. During the application of engine power for the go-around, the aircraft rolled to the left, struck the runway inverted, and came to rest on the runway’s south side. The 3 passengers exited the aircraft through the main cabin door with the assistance of persons nearby. One passenger received serious injuries, and the other 2 had minor injuries. The pilot, who was seriously injured, was trapped in the cockpit for approximately 2 hours before first responders could safely rescue him from the wreckage. An emergency locator transmitter signal was received by the search and rescue satellite system. The aircraft was significantly damaged and there was no post-impact fire.
Probable cause:
Findings as to causes and contributing factors:
1. The aircraft joined the final approach well above the optimal 3° descent path and, during the steep approach that followed, the aircraft’s airspeed continually decelerated and resulted in an unstabilized approach.
2. On short final, the pilot reduced the rate of descent by increasing pitch rather than by adding power. As a result, the airspeed continued to decrease and the aircraft entered a stall, resulting in a hard landing and a subsequent bounce.
3. During the attempted rejected landing, the aircraft entered a 25° nose-high attitude and approached a stall condition. This low-speed condition combined with the high power setting resulted in the aircraft entering a rapid roll to the left and striking the runway in an inverted attitude.
4. The passengers did not receive a safety briefing before departure or before landing, and multiple items in the cabin were not secured. As a result, 1 passenger sustained serious injuries due to the deceleration forces and the loose items that were thrown around in the cabin during the accident.
5. The pilot was not wearing the available shoulder harness, and his torso was unrestrained during the impact. As a result, he sustained serious injuries.

Findings as to risk:
1. If pilots do not declare all health issues to Transport Canada Civil Aviation Medical Examiners and pilots’ family physicians do not declare issues assessed to be a risk to aviation safety to Transport Canada, there is an increased risk that pilots will operate with diagnosed medical conditions or medical side effects that could affect flight safety.
2. If an aircraft propeller is rotating and passengers are not supervised during boarding operations, there is a risk that passengers may inadvertently contact the propeller, potentially causing fatal injuries.

Other findings:
1. Following a review of the pilot’s medical history and prescription medication use, the investigation determined that the medication did not contribute to the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E3 in Menzelinsk: 16 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 2021 at 0911 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RF-94591
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Menzelinsk - Menzelinsk
MSN:
87 18 26
YOM:
1987
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Menzelinsk for a local skydiving mission, carrying 20 skydivers and two pilots. During initial climb, the crew reported technical problems with the left engine and elected to return for an emergency landing. The aircraft lost height and eventually struck a concrete wall before coming to rest on a wood piles. Six passengers were rescued while 14 other occupants were killed.