What happened
During a night-time local training mission at Ulyanovsk-Baratayevka Airport, an Antonov AN-10 experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure. The aircraft was carrying 14 people, consisting of four instructors and 10 student pilots. Shortly after departing the runway and climbing to an altitude of approximately 150 meters, the crew initiated the retraction of the landing gear. At this moment, the fourth engine failed.
In an attempt to manage the failure, the flight crew worked to feather the propeller as it entered a state of auto-rotation. However, the resulting aerodynamic drag caused the aircraft to bank heavily to the right and lose altitude rapidly. The plane impacted the ground 1,090 meters beyond the runway threshold, triggering a massive explosion that destroyed the airframe. The accident resulted in 13 fatalities and one serious injury.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing elements. The primary factor was the failure of the fourth engine shortly after takeoff for reasons that were not determined. This mechanical issue led to an inability to successfully feather the propeller, which created excessive drag and prevented the crew from maintaining controlled flight. Additionally, the pilot-in-command was performing their first flight in this specific Antonov AN-10 model, meaning they lacked familiarity with the aircraft's handling characteristics during an emergency. The lack of ground visual references and the low visibility inherent to night operations further complicated the crew's ability to respond to the engine loss.