A-22LS Stall During Forest Fire Monitoring in Russia

1 fatality • Россия, Тюменская обл., ХМАО-Югра, 86,5км северо-западнее г. Урай

An A-22LS aircraft crashed near Uray, Russia, while performing forest fire surveillance. The accident resulted in one fatality.

On August 16, 2016, an A-22LS, registration RA-1683G, operated by OOO "Siberian Forest Aviation Security Base," was conducting a mission to monitor active forest fires. The flight was operating under visual meteorological conditions within Class G airspace. The mission involved patrolling a predetermined route near the city of Uray to observe specific fire locations, including forest fire No. 46, No. 44, and No. 49.

Pre-flight preparations, including medical examinations and weather briefings, were completed by the captain at Uray airport. The aircraft took off at 05:14 with a takeoff weight of 578 kg and a center of gravity within approved limits. The flight was conducted at altitudes ranging between 600 and 3,200 meters. No passengers or cargo were on board RA-1683G during the mission.

At approximately 06:10, after successfully observing two fire locations, the crew reached the area of forest fire No. 49 and established contact with ground control. During the inspection of the fire, the aircraft experienced a stall at a low altitude.

The investigation noted that the aircraft was not equipped with an artificial stall warning system, either visual or audible. Additionally, it was identified that the aircraft had not been re-registered in the owner's name following its purchase from LLC "Polet."

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the aircraft stalling at a low altitude due to a loss of airspeed. Contributing factors included the captain being distracted from monitoring airspeed while inspecting the fire, descending below the minimum safe altitude, and encountering significant turbulence from strong upward and downward air currents over the fire.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2016-08-16 А-22ЛС accident near Россия, Тюменская обл., ХМАО-Югра, 86,5км северо-западнее г. Урай?

An A-22LS aircraft crashed near Uray, Russia, while performing forest fire surveillance. The accident resulted in one fatality.

Were there any fatalities in the 2016-08-16 А-22ЛС accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 1 fatality.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2016-08-16 involved a А-22ЛС, registration RA-1683G, operated by ООО «Сибирская база авиационной охраны лесов», at Россия, Тюменская обл., ХМАО-Югра, 86,5км северо-западнее г. Урай.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by the aircraft stalling at a low altitude due to a loss of airspeed. Contributing factors included the captain being distracted from monitoring airspeed while inspecting the fire, descending below the minimum safe altitude, and encountering significant turbulence from strong upward and…

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