Official verdict on Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash announced

The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) announced today the results of its investigation in the crash of the airplane with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team on board on September 7. These were announced today at a press conference by IAC chairman Alexey Morozov, according to RIA Novosti.

The main cause of the crash were the pilots’ errors, as one of them pushed the brake pedals during the take-off. It prevented the plane from ascending high enough and immediately after the take-off the plane hit the localizer antenna of the airport’s radio-range beacon (which is 2.5-3m high). This caused damage to the left wing and the Yak-42 went down.

While it is not known which of the pilots was braking, the Committee found some other issues with the flight, which may give an indirect evidence of the underlying reasons of the crash.

For example, a reaction inhibiting preparation was found in the blood of the second pilot. «We found phenobarbital in the body of the co-pilot, a drug that has an inhibiting effect on the central nervous system and is prohibited for use by pilots. People using this drug can’t be allowed to drive aircrafts.»

«According to the co-pilot’s medical records quoting his neurologist, the co-pilot has been experiencing a decline of foot reflexes since 2000 and of hand reflexes since 2005, which is an indirect indication of peripheral nerves damage, i.e. the development a polyneuropathy,» Morozov said.

In addition to that the pilots of Yak-42 didn’t comply with the requirement concerning the number of hours spent on this type of plane. They used to drive a Yak-40 and then passed a retraining course for Yak-42, but didn’t spend enough time practicing.

«After a theoretical retraining course for Yak-42 the aircraft commander didn’t perform the complete flying program as required. Simulator training was purely formal and irregular.»

Morozov also blamed the operating company Yak-Service who didn’t control how their pilots mastered a new type of plane and even forged data on their training.

Still, the plane itself was not defective. «The Yak-42 was in good order at the moment of its take-off in Yaroslavl. We haven’t identified any failures in its engines and systems, including the braking systems. There were no fires, explosions, or damage to the aircraft until it collided with the obstacle and then the ground,» Morozov stated.