Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia Flight 1023
A Antonov An-24 similar to the aircraft involved | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 18 March 1997 |
| Summary | Structural failure of tail due to corrosion, improper maintenance |
| Site | |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Antonov An-24 |
| Operator | Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia |
| Registration | RA-46516 |
| Flight origin | Stavropol Shpakovskoye Airport, Russia |
| Destination | Trabzon Airport, Turkey |
| Passengers | 44 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 50 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia Flight 1023 was an international charter flight between Stavropol in southern Russia and Trabzon in Turkey operated by the Russian airline Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia (SAAK). On 18 March 1997, while cruising at 6,000 metres (20,000 ft), the Antonov An-24 operating the flight suffered a catastrophic structural failure, in which its tailplane separated in mid-flight. The aircraft then disintegrated and crashed into a forest, killing all 50 passengers and crew on board.
The final report concluded that the crash was caused by improper maintenance by the airline and lack of oversight on the proper maintenance procedures. The aircraft had been brought back from multiple flights in Africa and corrosions had appeared under the aircraft's lavatory. The ground crew had not properly maintained the aircraft, causing the cracks to form and widen, that eventually travelled through the entire tailplane and caused the tail to separate.