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2 fatalities

Icing-Related Crash Landing Near Karatayka (RA-71165)

Karatayka, RussiaFlight

On January 9, 2023, a PZL-Mielec AN-2 (registration RA-71165) operated by Naryan-Mar Air Enterprise - Naryan-Marskoe Aviapredpriatie was involved in an aviation accident near Karatayka, Russia in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An emergency landing was necessary because of the inability to continue the flight due to the impact of icing on the aircraft's aerodynamic and thrust characteristics. 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.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary report: the Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK)Updated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered RA-71165
Aircraft registered RA-71165. Photo: Alan Wilson / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A single-engine aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing near Karatayka after encountering severe icing. The captain and one passenger died, and ten others were injured.

Incident Overview and Flight Details A single-engine aircraft departed Ust-Kara on a scheduled service to Naryan-Mar, with an intermediate stop planned at Karatayka. The aircraft was carrying 10 passengers and two crew members. As it approached Karatayka, the crew encountered icing conditions and decided to divert to Varandey. Despite maximum engine power, the aircraft was unable to climb above 200 metres. The captain then decided to attempt an emergency landing, and the aircraft crashed in a snow-covered area approximately 10 km northwest of Karatayka. A passenger and the captain were killed, while 10 other occupants were injured. Shortly before the accident, the crew reported severe icing conditions.

Probable cause

An emergency landing was necessary because of the inability to continue the flight due to the impact of icing on the aircraft's aerodynamic and thrust characteristics. Contributing factors included the captain's failure to consider potential risks of the aircraft encountering icing conditions when making the decision to take off; the captain's delayed decision to change the flight plan despite receiving information about deteriorating meteorological conditions at the destination, which fell below the established thresholds for VFR night flights and indicated the possibility of aircraft icing; and non-compliance with VFR rules regarding prolonged flight in actual icing conditions.
Icing

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 9 Jan 2023 PZL-Mielec AN-2 accident near Karatayka, Russia?

A single-engine aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing near Karatayka after encountering severe icing. The captain and one passenger died, and ten others were injured.

Were there any fatalities in the 9 Jan 2023 PZL-Mielec AN-2 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 2 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 9 Jan 2023 involved a PZL-Mielec AN-2, registration RA-71165, operated by Naryan-Mar Air Enterprise - Naryan-Marskoe Aviapredpriatie, at Karatayka, Russia.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

An emergency landing was necessary because of the inability to continue the flight due to the impact of icing on the aircraft's aerodynamic and thrust characteristics. Contributing factors included the captain's failure to consider potential risks of the aircraft encountering icing conditions when making the decision…

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