Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia Flight 1023
Encyclopedia
Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia Flight 1023 was a charter flight between Stavropol
in southern Russia and Trabzon
in Turkey operated by the Russian airline Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia. On 18 March 1997 the Antonov An-24
operating the flight suffered a structural failure and crashed into a forest, killing all 50 passengers and crew on board.
, carrying 8 crewmembers, 41 passengers, mainly traders who planned to purchase cheap consumer goods in Turkey and one of the directors of the airline.
37 minutes after take off, the flight was at a height of 17,700 ft (5,400 m) when it disappeared from the radar screens of air traffic control.
Wreckage of the Antonov An-24 was found scattered over a wide area in a forest near the village of Prigorodny, east of Cherkessk
, nothern Caucasus
. The aircraft's tail was found at 1.5 kn from the rest of the weckage, indicating that the aircraft may have broken up in mid-air. All 50 people aboard were killed.
The accident was blamed on a failure to detect corrosion during inspection, with the allowable time between inspections and maintenance being exceeded.
Stavropol
-International relations:-Twin towns/sister cities:Stavropol is twinned with: Des Moines, United States Béziers, France Pazardzhik, Bulgaria-External links:* **...
in southern Russia and Trabzon
Trabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
in Turkey operated by the Russian airline Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia. On 18 March 1997 the Antonov An-24
Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
operating the flight suffered a structural failure and crashed into a forest, killing all 50 passengers and crew on board.
Accident
The flight, which was a frequently operated charter between Stavropol and Trabzon on the Black Sea coast of Turkey, took off from Stavropol Shpakovskoye AirportStavropol Shpakovskoye Airport
Stavropol Shpakovskoye Airport is an airport in Stavropol Krai, Russia located 13 km northeast of Stavropol. It services medium-sized airliners with 14 parking spaces...
, carrying 8 crewmembers, 41 passengers, mainly traders who planned to purchase cheap consumer goods in Turkey and one of the directors of the airline.
37 minutes after take off, the flight was at a height of 17,700 ft (5,400 m) when it disappeared from the radar screens of air traffic control.
Wreckage of the Antonov An-24 was found scattered over a wide area in a forest near the village of Prigorodny, east of Cherkessk
Cherkessk
Cherkessk is the capital city of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russia, as well as its political, economic, and cultural center. Population: 121,439 ; 116,244 ; -History:...
, nothern Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. The aircraft's tail was found at 1.5 kn from the rest of the weckage, indicating that the aircraft may have broken up in mid-air. All 50 people aboard were killed.
Cause
The accident investigation found that the aircraft, which had recently returned from an extended period of service in the Congo, suffered massive corrosion which had caused the aircraft's tail to break off in flight.The accident was blamed on a failure to detect corrosion during inspection, with the allowable time between inspections and maintenance being exceeded.