Crash of an Antonov AN-12BK near Eleftheroupolis: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 2022 at 2247 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UR-CIC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Niš – Amman
MSN:
01 34 77 01
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
MEM3032
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed Niš at 2036LT on a cargo flight to Amman, carrying eight crew members and a load of 12 tons of various goods. Bound to the southeast over the Aegean Sea, the crew was cruising at FL210 when they reported technical problems. Cleared to divert to Kavala Airport, the pilot made a 180 turn and started the descent. On approach to Kavala Airport at night with one engine on fire, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed at a speed of 200 knots in an agricultural zone located just out of the village of Eleftheroupolis, bursting into flames. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all eight occupants were killed. The wreckage was found 12 km west of Kavala Airport. According to the Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, the plane was carrying armaments, including flare mortar mines, bound for Bangladesh.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Prochookopskaya: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 2022 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-02240
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1G235-11
YOM:
1989
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While attempting to land at night, the single engine airplane collided with a power line and crashed in a wooded area, coming to rest upside down. The wreckage was found some 10 km north of the Armavir Airport. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-30M near Olenyok

Date & Time: Jun 22, 2022
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-30001
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Yakutsk - Olenek
MSN:
14 02
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
9424
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Yakutsk Airport on a cargo flight to Olenyok, carrying seven crew members and a load of 6,3 tons of food. En route, the airplane suffered a double engine failure. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a wooded area located 70 km from Olenyok and came to rest. All seven crew members evacuated the cabin, among them three were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the double engine failure is the consequence of a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Sebyan-Kyuyol: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 2022
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-17742
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Us-Khatyn – Vertikal’nyy
MSN:
1G203-03
YOM:
1983
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Us-Khatyn on a cargo flight to Vertikal'nyy, carrying one passenger and two pilots. En route, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was limited due to fog. Too low, the airplane impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located about 46 km southeast of the village of Sebyan-Kyuyol. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination (the flight was supposed to be 2 hours and 30 minutes), SAR operations were initiated. The wreckage was found 10 days later, on July 1st, in an uninhabited area. Both pilots were killed and the passenger was found alive after he found refuge in a fishing house where he could find food.

Crash of a Piper PA-61P Aerostar near Durango: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 2022 at 1829 LT
Registration:
N66CG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Celaya - Durango
MSN:
61-0277-061
YOM:
1976
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While approaching Durango Airport on a flight from Celaya, the twin engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located near the village of Ceballos, about 16 km northwest of the Durango Intl Airport. The burned wreckage was found near the Peña del Aguila Dam. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Viking Air DHC-6 Twin Otter 400 near Nanga Eboko: 11 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 2022
Operator:
Registration:
TJ-TIM
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Yaoundé – Dompta – Belabo
MSN:
934
YOM:
2015
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Yaoundé at 1246LT on a charter flight to Dompta and Belabo, carrying 9 employees of the Cameroon Oil Transportation Company (COTCO) and two crew members. En route, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near the village of Nanga Eboko. All 11 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Comp Air CA-8 in Grasmere: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 8, 2022 at 1419 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N801DT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Boulder City – Boise
MSN:
027078SS52T03
YOM:
2007
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
1350
Aircraft flight hours:
685
Circumstances:
The pilot and passenger departed on a cross-country flight. Automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) data indicated that the airplane flew at a cruise altitude between 11,000 ft and 13,000 ft mean sea level (msl) on a north to northeast heading consistent with its planned destination for most of the flight. About 30 minutes before the end of the flight, the airplane began a descent and then turned east. Shortly thereafter, the pilot of the airplane declared minimum fuel with air traffic control (ATC). A few minutes later the pilot declared critical fuel due to a fuel leak. The pilot stated in his last communication that he would attempt to make a nearby airport. Subsequently, the airplane impacted hilly, desert terrain at an elevation of about 5,780 ft and on a heading of about 034°. An acquaintance of the pilot who was a flight instructor stated that, on the two previous flights he had flown with the pilot, the left wing of the airplane felt heavy. The accident pilot thought it was because of a fuel imbalance. The postaccident examination revealed that the left tank fuel valve was positioned ON and the right tank valve was positioned OFF, consistent with the pilot balancing the fuel by feeding from the left-wing fuel tank. It is possible that when the pilot noticed the minimum fuel status, he failed to recall that he had previously selected the rightside fuel tank OFF, and thus did not have this fuel available. Given that the cruise altitudes on the accident flight were similar to what the previous owner used to make his fuel range and duration estimates, even with about a 20% reduction in fuel due to the pilot allowing 2 inches from the top of the fuel tanks during refueling, the airplane should have had adequate fuel to make its destination. A strong smell of fuel and fuel staining were also observed at the accident site. Page 2 of 11 WPR22FA173 A review of radar imagery from Boise, Idaho, revealed that the airplane flew through several areas of light to moderate intensity echoes as it proceeded northward, and then after turning eastward, the airplane’s fight track was through an area of moderate to heavy intensity echoes. The accident site was located on the southeast edge of the echo. Light-to-moderate icing conditions in the clouds with clear to mixed type icing below 12,000 ft msl were expected. Thus, it is likely that the airplane, which was not certified for flight in icing, encountered icing in the final portion of the flight. The pilot was flying with insulin-dependent diabetes, having type 1 diabetes mellitus. Given the urine glucose level of 29mg/dL, no detectable glucose in vitreous fluid, and ongoing verbal communication, it is unlikely that the pilot was experiencing significant metabolic disturbance from high blood glucose. Whether he was experiencing less severe effects of high blood sugar could not be determined. Whether he had symptoms of low blood glucose, such as diminished concentration or increased nervousness, is unknown. The pilot’s use of diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which can cause sleepiness, was likely not a factor due to fact that it was detected only in the urine and not in the blood. Thus, it is unlikely that effects of the pilot’s diphenhydramine use contributed to the accident. Accident site signatures and a review of the weather were consistent with a loss of control of the airplane. In addition, an examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that, while maneuvering to an alternate airport due to a critical fuel situation, in icing conditions, the pilot failed to maintain the proper airspeed, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and the airplane experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
Probable cause:
The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-26B-100 in Mykhailivka: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 2022 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UR-UZB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Zaporozhie - Zaporozhie
MSN:
113 05
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Zaporozhie Airport on a local test flight according to local authorities, carrying three crew members. While flying at low height, the airplane collided with power line and crashed in an open field located in Mykhailivka, some 11 km northwest of the airport. A crew member was killed and two others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Cessna 340A in Los Mochis

Date & Time: Apr 6, 2022 at 1748 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XB-GHU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Los Mochis - Club Aéreo Nuevo Santa Rosa
MSN:
340A-0506
YOM:
1978
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Los Mochis International Airport on a flight to the Club Aéreo Nuevo Santa Rosa located east-northeast of the city. After landing on a road, the airplane suffered an apparent undercarriage failure, veered to the right and came to rest in a grassy area, bursting into flames. The pilot evacuated safely while the aircraft suffered serious damages due to fire.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Cobán

Date & Time: Apr 3, 2022
Operator:
Registration:
PT-ECU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in bushes near Cobán, Guatemala, while engaged in an illegal flight. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and no one was found on the scene. The registration seems to be false.