No fatalities

Belly Landing at Bishkek Airport After Hydraulic Failure (CCCP-87509)

Bishkek-Manas, KyrgyzstanLanding (descent or approach)

On September 2, 1989, a Yakovlev Yak-40 (registration CCCP-87509) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Bishkek-Manas, Kyrgyzstan during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the main hydraulic system due to the loss of the cap of the hydraulic tank caused by the destruction of the nut due to fatigue caused by structural and manufacturing faults. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A flight landing at Bishkek Airport executed a belly landing on grass after hydraulic system failure. All 43 occupants were uninjured, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Incident Overview

During descent to Bishkek, the aircraft experienced a failure of the hydraulic systems at an altitude of 5,700 meters. The crew continued the approach, and the captain informed air traffic control (ATC) that the landing gear could not be lowered. The crew subsequently performed a belly landing on a grassy area parallel to the main runway at Bishkek Airport. The aircraft slid for a certain distance before coming to rest.

Occupant and Aircraft Status

All 43 occupants on board were uninjured. However, the aircraft sustained structural damage and was considered damaged beyond repair.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined the probable cause to be a failure of the main hydraulic system due to the loss of the cap of the hydraulic tank, caused by the destruction of the nut due to fatigue from structural and manufacturing faults.