Khabarovsk – Poliny Osipenko – Ayan

On August 29, 2002 at 06:56 PM, Khabarovsk – Poliny Osipenko – Ayan experienced a crash involving PZL-Mielec AN-28, operated by Vostok Aviakompania - East Air, with the event recorded near Ayan Khabarovsk Krai.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

16 people were known to be on board, 16 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 14, passenger fatalities: 14, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft was completing a flight from Khabarovsk to Ayan with an intermediate stop in Poliny Osipenko, carrying 14 passengers and two pilots. Before takeoff from Poliny Osipenko, the crew was informed about weather conditions at Ayan with a visibility up to 5 km. But while approaching the destination, the crew realized that weather conditions deteriorated rapidly with poor visibility due to low stratus and fog. The crew initiated the descent prematurely and after the first turn, the aircraft was already at an insufficient altitude of 800 metres instead of the required 950 metres. At a speed of 283 km/h, the aircraft descended too low and deviated to the right of the approach pattern by 2,3 km when it entered an area of low stratus at an altitude of 320 metres. In a visibility reduced to 50 metres, the crew lost visual contact with the ground but the captain decided to continue the approach. At a height of 188 metres, the aircraft impacted a hill (226 metres high) located near the shore of the Okhotsk Sea. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 16 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration RA-28932, MSN 1AJ008-19, year of manufacture 1990.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 56.4609°, 138.1817°.