Fatal aircraft accident at Urozero Lake

7 fatalities • Petrozavodsk, Russia • Takeoff (climb)

A flight departing from Petrozavodsk Airport crashed into Urozero Lake during its climb, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

On the flight path from Petrozavodsk Airport toward Vaskovo Airport in Arkhangelsk, an aircraft entered a fatal descent while climbing. During the ascent, the plane transitioned into cloud cover, at which point the pilot-in-command lost control of the vessel. The aircraft subsequently entered a dive and struck the surface of the iced Urozero Lake. Upon impact, the plane partially submerged in the water. There were seven fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported from the crash.

Findings

Investigations into the accident revealed that the failure of the artificial horizon was a critical factor in the loss of control. As the aircraft climbed into the clouds, the pilot-in-command experienced spatial disorientation due to the malfunctioning instrument, which led to the uncontrolled dive and subsequent impact with the lake.

Probable cause

The pilot experienced spatial disorientation following the failure of the aircraft's artificial horizon during a climb through clouds.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1978-03-04 Ilyushin II-14 accident near Petrozavodsk, Russia?

A flight departing from Petrozavodsk Airport crashed into Urozero Lake during its climb, resulting in no survivors.

Were there any fatalities in the 1978-03-04 Ilyushin II-14 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 7 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1978-03-04 involved a Ilyushin II-14, operated by Soviet Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily CCCP, at Petrozavodsk, Russia.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot experienced spatial disorientation following the failure of the aircraft's artificial horizon during a climb through clouds.

Loading the flight search…