Polar Airlines Flight 9949

On 2 July 2013, Polar Airlines Flight 9949, a Mil Mi-8 helicopter operated by Polar Airlines crashed near Deputatsky, an urban locality of Ust-Yansky District in the Sakha Republic, Russia, with 25 passengers (including 11 children) and three crew members on board.[2][3] According to a Ministry of Emergency Situations spokesman, 24 people died in the crash; the three crew members and a child survived.[4] Early reports suggested that the pilot lost control of the helicopter due to strong winds. The crash was investigated by the Interstate Aviation Committee.[5]

Polar Airlines Flight 9949
An Mi-8 similar to the accident aircraft
Accident
Date2 July 2013 (2013-07-02)
SummaryControlled Flight into Terrain due to Pilot Error[1]
SiteDeputatsky, Sakha Republic, Russia
69°42′27.8″N 139°26′18″E
Aircraft
Aircraft typeMil Mi-8
OperatorPolar Airlines
RegistrationRA-22657
Occupants28
Passengers25
Crew3
Fatalities24
Injuries4
Survivors4

Accident

At 10:00 PM local time, the flight crew underwent a pre-flight medical exam at the local hospital in the village of Deputatsky, with no health concerns noted the crew were cleared to operate the flight, which was scheduled for 11:00 PM local time. The flight mechanic refueled the helicopter with 2800 liters of ice resistant fuel. At 10:30 PM, the pilots received the meteorological forecast for the route, seeing no concerns he signed it off.

At 11:38 PM, the Pilot in Command requested to take-off using Visual flight rules, and to start their engines, they received confirmation for both. At 11:51 PM, flight 9949 received take-off clearance 51 minutes past the scheduled departure time, soon after the flight lifted off making a right hand turn. At 11:58:46 PM, the flight crew reported their status to the dispatch office, this was the last radio communication from flight 9949.

At 12:13 AM, the helicopter crashed into an elevated outcropping, completely destroying the aircraft. At 12:34, the PIC using a satellite phone called to report the crash, and that there were some survivors but many more fatalities. In total all 3 crew members and 1 passenger survived the crash.[1]

References
  1. RA-22657 Final Report (PDF). Interstate Aviation Committee. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  2. "Children die in air crash in Russia's Sakha Republic", BBC News, 2 July 2013
  3. "Russian helicopter crash kills at least 19", Reuters, 2 July 2013
  4. "24 Dead in Siberia Helicopter Crash", RIA Novosti, 3 July 2013
  5. "Helicopter Crash in Siberia Kills at Least 19 - Officials | Russia | RIA Novosti". Archived from the original on 10 July 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013. "Helicopter Crash in Siberia Kills at Least 19 – Officials", RIA Novosti, 2 July 2013
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