Irkutsk - Chita - Blagoveshchensk - Khabarovsk

On August 8, 2011 at 02:12 PM, Irkutsk - Chita - Blagoveshchensk - Khabarovsk experienced a crash involving Antonov AN-24, operated by IrAero, with the event recorded near Blagoveshchensk Amur oblast.

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.

41 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 41 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 36, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Following an uneventful flight from Chita, the crew initiated the approach to Blagoveshchensk in poor weather conditions with reduced visibility, heavy rain falls, thunderstorm activity and a cloud base at 150 metres. On final approach, despite he did establish any visual contact with the runway or its light system, the captain continued the approach and passed below the MDA. As the aircraft was not properly aligned with the runway centerline, it descended too low and impacted trees 210 meters to the right of the centerline and 50 meters short of runway 36. Upon impact, the left wing was torn off and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area. It slid over a distance of 450 metres before coming to rest. There was no fire. All 41 occupants were rescued, among them 9 were injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration RA-46561, MSN 67310609, year of manufacture 1976.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 50.2600°, 127.5337°.