Aeroflot Flight A-53

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Aeroflot Flight A-53
Yakovlev Yak-40, Aeroflot AN1083660.jpg
An Aeroflot Yak-40, similar to the accident aircraft
Accident
Date15 August 1975
SummaryDowndraft during approach
Site4 km south of Krasnovodsk Airport, Krasnovodsk, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union
Aircraft
Aircraft type Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator Aeroflot
Registration CCCP-87323
Flight origin Baku-Bina International Airport, Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
Destination Krasnovodsk Airport, Krasnovodsk, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union
Passengers34
Crew4
Fatalities23
Survivors15

Aeroflot Flight A-53 was a commercial flight from Baku to Krasnovodsk. It crashed on approach due to poor weather. It is the second deadliest plane crash in Turkmenistan, behind Aeroflot Flight 112. [1]

Contents

Accident

At 21:37 Moscow time the crew made contact with approach control which authorized a descent from 4,500 metres (14,800 ft). By 21:54 the aircraft had descended to 500 metres (1,600 ft) and the crew was informed of rough weather. At an altitude of 300 metres (980 ft) the plane was in a headwind with flaps extended at 35° and engines below maximum thrust causing the speed to fall from 260 km/h (140 kn) to 210-200 km/h (110 kn) and the descent rate to increase. Thrust was increased but the descent continued due to a downdraft. The plane entered a left bank of 40° and hit a rocky cliff, tearing off the right wing and engine. It then bounced before crashing and catching fire. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Causes

The plane entered a downdraft which caused a loss of speed and altitude. This was made possible by a lack of knowledge on part of the meteorologist and the absence of a system that could have detected this phenomenon. The crew's inexperience also contributed to the accident. [3] [4]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Yakovlev Yak-40 CCCP-87323 Krasnovodsk Airport (KRW)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  2. "Карточка самолёта: Яковлев · Як-40 · СССР-87323" [Aircraft card: Yakovlev · Yak-40 · USSR-87323]. russianplanes.net (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  3. 1 2 "Катастрофа Як-40 Азербайджанского УГА близ Красноводска (борт CCCP-87323), 15 августа 1975 года" [The crash of the Yak-40 of the Azerbaijan UGA near Krasnovodsk (board CCCP-87323), August 15, 1975]. www.airdisaster.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  4. 1 2 "Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Krasnovodsk: 23 killed". www.baaa-acro.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.