On December 19, 1960, an Ilyushin II-14 operated by Bulgarian Air Force - Bulgarski Voennov Azdushni Sili was involved in an aviation accident near Vakarel, Bulgaria during landing or approach. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot failed to maintain the required altitude during the approach, leading to a collision with power lines. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A fatal aviation accident occurred near Vakarel, Bulgaria, when an aircraft struck power lines while descending toward Sofia Airport.
What happened
During an approach to Sofia Airport under adverse weather conditions, the aircraft descended to an altitude lower than what was required by established procedures. During this descent, the plane made contact with electrical power cables. The subsequent impact caused the aircraft to crash into a field situated in Vakarel, which is approximately 27 kilometers southeast of the Sofia airfield.
There were 5 fatalities among the crew members on board the aircraft. No other persons were reported injured in the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the accident concluded that the primary reason for the crash was pilot error during the approach phase.
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain the required altitude during the approach, leading to a collision with power lines.
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