An-10 crash near Syktyvkar

The An-10 crash near Syktyvkar was an air crash that occurred on Friday 8 February 1963 in the Syktyvkar area, involving an An-10A aircraft of the Aeroflot airline, which killed 7 people.

Crash

The aircraft was performing a training flight, during which an inspection check of the piloting technique of the flight personnel of the Syktyvkar aviation detachment was being carried out. At 14:47 the An-10 took off on a magnetic heading of 187°. The sky at that time was covered by solid stratus cloud with a base at 200—300 metres and tops at 1500—2000 metres; light snow was falling, a moderate south-westerly wind was blowing, the air temperature was about -4 °C, and visibility about 4—6 kilometres. also, according to reports from other aircraft, moderate icing was observed in the clouds. The crew of 9 people was flying circuits using the OSP and SP-50 systems in the following sequence: two approaches without landing and one with a landing, that is, three approaches per person being checked. After 6 approaches had been completed, the two persons being checked who had completed their programme were dropped off.

There were now 7 people on board: the PICs S. F. Babikov and B. S. Nikolaev, the senior pilot-instructor of the Main Directorate of the Civil Air Fleet P. P. Solovyov, co-pilot I. K. Shugin, navigator Yu. I. Sadovsky, flight engineer I. S. Bordachev and flight radio operator E. I. Serzhant. The 11th flight was being performed with a go-around, and the aircraft at this moment was being flown by PIC Babikov, sitting in the left seat, while inspector Solovyov sat in the right seat. On passing the inner locator (BPRS) the crew reported a go-around, to which the control tower (KDP) controller instructed them to make a right turn with a climb to 600 metres. The crew confirmed reaching 600 metres and reported the start of the first turn, and after that the start of the second turn. Then unexpectedly at 17:37 the aircraft reported: "We're falling, we're falling, we're falling… the engines have failed". After that communication ceased.

The An-10 was finishing the second turn, or had just finished it, when three engines failed: Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The crew increased the power of the remaining engine No. 4, but the thrust asymmetry led to the airliner going into a left bank. Descending on a heading of 15—20° and along a trajectory inclined at 45—50°, the An-10, at an angle of 15—20° and with a left bank of 80—90°, at low speed crashed into a forest 10.2 kilometres from the aerodrome reference point (KTA) of Syktyvkar airport on an azimuth of 113° (to the east) and to the east of the village of Verkhnyaya Maksakovka, after which it was completely destroyed and caught fire. All 7 people on board were killed.