On December 23, 1996, an Antonov AN-72 operated by Federal Border Guard Aviation Command was involved in an aviation accident near Nagurskoye (Franz Josef Archipelago), Russia during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft overran the runway due to slippery surface conditions caused by ice and snow during a night landing. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft experienced a runway overrun during landing at Nagurskoye Airport due to icy conditions and heavy snowfall.
What happened
During an approach to Nagurskoye Airport, the aircraft encountered challenging environmental conditions characterized by heavy snowfall and polar night visibility. Upon touchdown on a runway covered in ice and snow, the aircraft failed to stop within the available runway length. This resulted in a runway excursion where the aircraft overran the paved surface. During the excursion, the landing gear was lost, and the aircraft eventually came to a halt.
As a result of the incident, there were nine injuries reported among the occupants, with four of those individuals sustaining serious injuries. The aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
The presence of snow and ice on the runway surface significantly contributed to the loss of braking effectiveness.
Low visibility caused by the polar night and active snowfall impacted the landing conditions.
Probable cause
The aircraft overran the runway due to slippery surface conditions caused by ice and snow during a night landing.