Close Call IL-76

[Brian Abraham]

From Avweb
Close Call For Russian Cargo Plane
It was a testament to the ruggedness of the IL-76, but we’ll let others decide what it says about the crew flying it. According to a Transport Canada incident report published by Canadian Defence and Geopolitics, the Silk Way Airways plane was headed for Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ontario, in early June when it encountered poor visibility (half mile in fog, vertical visibility 500 feet, RVR 600, temperature and dew point 12 degrees Celsius) at the military base. The crew elected to try an instrument approach. The massive plane, loaded with military hardware from the Canadian Forces operation in Afghanistan, hit a perimeter fence, taking out 150 feet of it, touched down briefly 430 feet short of the runway and then managed to climb out, trailing part of the fence from its landing gear and peppered with damage to its belly. However, that wasn’t enough to prompt the crew to declare an emergency. According to the report, the crew climbed the airplane, still trailing barbed wire, to 3,000 feet and entered a hold for an hour. They then decided to divert to fog-free Ottawa, about 100 nm away. Ottawa officials were notified that the airplane had hit a fence and rolled emergency gear for the landing. The IL-76 landed uneventfully and went directly to an FBO. There, with help from the emergency workers, the crew untangled the barbed wire and took off again for Trenton, where the cargo was unloaded. In Trenton, it was revealed the aircraft had "substantial damage" and the events were classified by the Transportation Safety Board as an accident rather than an incident.

[sleeper]

When did this happen?
Do you have a link to the report?

[ORAC]

Seems to be some discrepancy concerning the damage to the aircraft. Happened in early June. Both reports confirm the aircraft was inspected/repaired and cleared to fly again.

The Intelligencer

Authorities are investigating after a contracted cargo plane clipped a wire fence at CFB Trenton Thursday night.

Capt. Nicole Meszaros, the base's public affairs officer, said fog is believed to have been a factor in the accident, which damaged a section of fence on the base's eastern limit but did not damage the plane.

"Last night at approximately midnight an IL-76 Ilyushin carrying equipment to Canada from Afghanistan and scheduled to fly equipment out again had its landing gear come in contact with airport's perimeter fence," Meszaros said.


She said the large blue and white plane, which is used regularly for such missions, overshot the runway and hit the fence, then flew to Ottawa to avoid the fog.

"Last night it was foggy and weather was impacting visibility," Meszaros said. "Several fence poles were bent over and part of the fence collapsed. We found out later that some of the barbed wire became entangled in the landing gear of the Ilyushin."

She said "a concerned citizen" alerted military police to the fence damage; the MPs then called Transport Canada.

"After overshooting, the aircraft flew to Ottawa and landed safely there without further incident. Once in landed in Ottawa the aircraft was inspected by Transport Canada, and was deemed to be fit for flight after minor repairs.

"The aircraft consequently landed here this morning at about 9:30," Meszaros said.

"A follow-up investigation is going to be done by Transport Canada, and a parallel investigation is going to be done by the Canadian Forces Director of Flight Safety."

Meszaros said it was unclear whether the crew knew the plane had struck the fence, the damaged portion of which has been replaced by temporary fencing.

Second report. (http://www.desastres.org/noticias.php?id=09062007-15)

[punkalouver]

No repairs before leaving Ottawa again with their crumpled up(but no doubt up to date approach plates) I was told. I think the minor repairs were pulling the rest of the fence out.


"The Silk Way Airlines Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft (operating as flight AZQ4992 under contract to the Government of Canada, Department of National Defence) was concluding an IFR charter flight from Keflavik International Airport, Iceland (BIKF) to C.F.B. Trenton (CYTR). At 0330Z, AZQ4992 arrived at C.F.B. Trenton in IFR conditions and set up for an approach to land. However, during the approach, the flight crew elected to reject the approach and initiated a go-around. During the overshoot, the aircraft struck and tore out approximately 150 feet of the airport perimeter fence. The aircraft held in the vicinity of the airport for two (2) hours, at which time the flight crew indicated that they wanted to divert to Ottawa. No emergency was declared and priority was not requested. The aircraft landed without incident at Ottawa (M-CIA) (CYOW) at 0604Z with ARFF services standing by. After landing, remnants of the C.F.B. Trenton airport perimeter fence were removed from the aircraft’s landing gear. Ops. impact - none. NAV CANADA Operations Centre, T.S.B. Duty Investigator and Transport Canada Civil Aviation Contingency Operations Centre all advised.

UPDATE Supplemental information from NAV CANADA A.O.D.R. 79849-V1: AZQ4992 landed on runway 32 at Ottawa (M-CIA) (CYOW) and exited onto taxiway LIMA with ARFF on standby. ARFF staff advised that there was about 20 feet of fence wiring around the left landing gear. Some crew members disembarked from the aircraft, removed the wire and placed it in the aircraft. ARFF staff also advised that there was a 3 to 4 inch hole on the door of the landing gear. AZQ4992 taxied to the Esso Avitat at 0715Z. Ops. impact -- taxiway LIMA was not available for about one (1) hour.

UPDATE from TSB Daily Notification Log Occurrence Summary A07O0119: The Silk Way Airlines Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft, registration 4K-AZ41, operating as flight AZQ4992, was on an ILS approach to runway 24 at the Trenton Air Force Base in Trenton, Ontario. The weather at the time was reported as one half mile in fog, vertical visibility 500 feet, RVR 600, temperature and dew point 12 degrees celsius and the wind was 210 at 06 knots. The aircraft struck the airport perimeter fence with the main landing gear and briefly touched down on the left main landing gear approximately 430 feet from the threshold of runway 24. The flight crew aborted the landing and applied engine power. The aircraft climbed to 3000 feet asl and entered a hold at this altitude. After approximately one hour it diverted to the Ottawa/MacDonald-Cartier airport. Ottawa tower was contacted by Trenton and advised of the incoming aircraft and that it had struck the fence on approach. Ottawa tower called out ARFF as a precaution. The AZQ 4992 flight crew did not declare an emergency. The aircraft landed uneventfully and taxied to the local FBO. ARFF followed the aircraft and assisted the crew in removing the barbed wire that was wrapped around the left main landing gear. After a period of time the aircraft took off from Ottawa and arrived in Trenton where the onboard cargo was offloaded. TSB, Transport Canada, and the Canadian Forces Directorate of Flight Safety (DFS) were notified of the event. DFS will be the lead in the investigation with TSB participating and providing support. Examination of the aircraft revealed substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage as a result of the impact with the fence. The TSB have made this occurrence an accident since it had substantial damage."

[punkalouver]

Another IL-76 at Trenton,, another close call.
Date: 2007/10/05
Further Action Required: No
O.P.I.: International Aviation
Narrative: The Ukrainian Cargo Airlines Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft was concluding an IFR flight from Keflavik International Airport (Iceland) (BIKF) to C.F.B. Trenton Airport (CYTR). The aircraft landed normally at 1148Z and shut down in a parking spot and before being re-started and repositioned to a different parking spot on the ramp. The flight crew did not mention anything. A post-landing runway inspection about a half hour later found an unusual amount of wood chips/bark on runway 24. As there had been only one aircraft movement that morning (due to low fog off the approach end of runway 24), the IL-76 aircraft was inspected and determined to have struck a tree/trees about a half mile short of the runway. There was little visible damage to the aircraft (smudges/scratches) but the landing gear (especially the right main landing gear) appeared to have taken the brunt of the in-flight collision. T.S.B. staff were advised and sent a team to C.F.B. Trenton to investigate. The aircraft's flight data recorder was removed for analysis and the aircraft has been grounded as a result. More information to follow.

ALSO.....

An Ilyushin IL-76 Candid air transport struck a tree at CFB Trenton Thursday. The incident is under investigation.

Federal probe underway after Ilyushin transport plane clips tree

Another mishap involving a foreign cargo plane at CFB Trenton is the focus of a federal investigation, raising concerns about public safety.
Officials have confirmed an Ilyushin IL-76 Candid air transport struck a tree at the base Thursday morning, but were releasing few details pending the federal probe.
"One of the IL-76s made contact with a tree today," confirmed public affairs officer Capt. Nicole Meszaros.
"The Transportation Safety Board is investigating, and we will follow their recommendations if and when we get them," she said.
Late that afternoon, however, a base employee who spoke to Osprey News Network on condition of anonymity said staff there are concerned risky flying by foreign crews could result in disaster.
"If these bozos keep doing this, the next time they're going to take out houses," the man said. "It's just a matter of time before they crash, either in Belleville or Trenton."
It's the second time since May that a troubled landing attempt by an IL-76 has been investigated.
The large cargo planes are a regular sight at the base, where they are used to ferry materiel around the world while under contract to Canada's Department of National Defence.
Around midnight on the night of May 10, a Silk Way Airlines Il-76 based in Azerbaijan flying in heavy fog struck the base's eastern fence.
According to a preliminary Transport Canada report obtained by Osprey News Network, the turbojet aircraft "tore out approximately 150 feet of the airport perimeter fence," embedding some of the fence in its landing gear and causing "substantial damage" to the plane. The crew aborted the landing, instead touching down "uneventfully" in Ottawa.
The federal Transportation Safety Board, Transport Canada, and the Canadian Forces Directorate of Flight Safety (DFS) were notified, with the DFS leading the investigation.
No further details of that investigation were available Thursday.
The base worker said foreign crews under DND contract break Canadian flight laws frequently.
"There's something they're not taking care of, which is basically the Canadian flying rules," he said.
"Last time they took out the fence at the base. Last winter there were problems with freezing rain accumulating on the aircraft, and they were trying to take off with freezing rain on the aircraft," he said, adding that was also in violation of flight rules.
He said he lives on the approach path used by the planes as they fly into the base, and worries for the safety of residents in both cities.
"At one point you say, 'Well, next time they're going to hit my house.’”
He added his coworkers are also concerned, and fed up with what they say are cases of dangerous flying.
"We talked about this for the last hour, and we're all getting quite pissed off, because this is getting ridiculous," he said.
Meszaros, meanwhile, said little information could be released Thursday afternoon
"It's all under investigation," she said.
"We take the safety of the community and the members of 8 Wing and the crew of the Ilyushin very seriously," Meszaros added.
A source told Osprey News Network the military no longer deals with that contractor, and noted Thursday's incident was unrelated.
"This is a different company," the source said, adding the plane was based in the Ukraine.
Further details from Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board could not be obtained by prs time.

[Minorite invisible]

After the first Trenton incident involving the IL-76 that ploughed through the fence, was the Trenton ILS flight checked? Transport Canada does not routinely do flight checks of the Trenton ILS which is DND property. But it should have verified if the ILS was not responsible for the aircraft going below Glide Path before taking any action against the company and its pilots. Was that done? Was Silk Way's Certificate revoked without due process?

I know for sure that if a Canadian company had ploughed through a fence during an approach in fog with a large aircraft, that the ILS would have been looked at before any fingers were pointed at anyone. There have been many accidents and incidents where the ILS was at fault. But when the same incident involves a foreign aircraft model with a foreign crew, the crew and operator seem to be crucified without due process.

Why is the Trenton ILS off the air right now? It has been off the air by NOTAM since September and is due to be brought back in service tomorrow. What was the problem, and since when was this problem known? How old is the Trenton ILS? How often does it break down? How reliable has it been? When had DND last done a flight check of the Trenton ILS before the first IL-76 incident? Does Transport Canada have any information about it? Could it be that the ILS was known to be faulty but that no one found it convenient to mention it?

I see that there is a lynching mood in Canada when it comes to foreign aircraft, foreign companies and foreign pilots. When our pilots screw up and kill themselves and their passengers (like they quite often do), no one talks about those "Canadian Cowboy pilots". When Canadian built aircraft crash, no one talks about ****ty Canadian engineering (So far in 2007, there have been 2 fatal CL-415 crashes, 4 fatal Twin Otter crashes, three non fatal CRJ crashes, another incident where the engine fell off a CRJ in flight and lets' not even talk about the three DHC-8 gear collapses that occurred this year, grounding the whole DHC-8-400 fleet)

Had these incidents involved Russian, Ukrainian or Chinese aircraft, this Forum would be full of racist remarks about these country's ****ty engineering and trash aircraft.

Then there are the shady operators. When an Antonov operated by a shady Third World operator crashes after taking off with a 50% overload in Africa, you will read about "those unsafe Soviet aircraft that are crashing all over the place". When the same Operator does the same with a DC-3, a Boeing, a Twin Otter, a Buffalo or a Lockheed and crashes, only the operator is blamed.

These double standards should not be tolerated. Especially not on a pilot Forum.

[MarkD]

minorite - terribly chippy post. I don't believe there was anything posted above to indicate the 76 is unsafe. People might have thought unkindly about it given the frequent and fanboyish boostering of the 76 and ridiculing of the CC-177 by your good self, but why start the argument? Unfortunately you couldn't hold yourself back.

I would advise you to delete all the moaning about the poor old 76 and retain the valid questions about the state of Trenton's ILS which given that base's status within DND not least as the port of return for the fallen in Afstan should be kept in first rate condition.

[Minorite invisible]

MarkD, for the record:

I think that the C-17 (C-177) is a fine aircraft and that it is superior to the IL-76 in many ways, but not all.

I ridiculed, not the C-17 itself but the justification that was made to purchase this aircraft by over-emphasising and exaggerating its supposedly fantastic STOL capabilities (capabilities so marginal that they can only be risked being used in War) and the real need that Canada had for what is just a pure transport aircraft (with a 3 Billion dollar rear ramp). I also criticize its price and cost of operation compared to comparable size commercial aircraft (the MD-11F) and also the IL-76 and An-124.

As a pilot, I logged about 3,000 hours on commercial Boeings and love it. It’s well made, simple and reliable (although the C-17 is really a McDonnell-Douglas).

The IL-76, although of an older technology, has in Russia and elsewhere, an air-to-air refueller version, a water bomber version, an ELINT version, an AWACS version, a zero gravity training version, a maritime SAR version, and an airborne command post version etc, none of which are available with the C-17.

All these capabilities would have given the CF quite a few more reasons to put hours on its transports, then just flying cargo from A to B, a job which will become quite scarce when the Afghan mission winds down in a couple years or so. There a just so many Tsunamis and Earthquakes for the DART to be deployed to.

I thought that was a very pro-CF argument on my part, to suggest that we equip the CF with an aircraft that was more versatile than the C-17. I did not know that what I was suggesting was considered a SIN and that such ex-Soviet aircraft could not be operated by the CF because they were not KOSHER. I naively thought the Cold War had ended 16 years ago. I did not know it still raged in the minds of many in the CF.

I was trying to have people try to imagine what a Canadian operated and maintained Il-76 would have been like in the hands of the CF, but that was too much to ask of people trained for war during the Cold War. It’s like my friends’ 85 year old father who was captured in Crete and spent years in a German POW camp: he still hates Germans and he will take that hatred to his grave not matter what he is told.

The lynching mob posts I was referring to were not about the above post, which just repeats the news of the incidents. You know about those I refer to.

And finally, more than being the entry point of Canada’s fallen (that sounded like the remark of a politician), Trenton is the base of the 435th SAR squadron, whose SAR missions are not planned ahead and scheduled but imposed by events.

[kingair9]

@ minorite invisible & all

Did you hear that NATO has 2 x AN-124 in service? They are leased on the basis of Salis (Strategic Airlift Interim Solution) and based in LEJ/Germany for rapid troop and equipment transport if needed by NATO.

Operated by a partnership of Volga Dnepr & Antonov on behalf of NATO...

:}

[Minorite invisible]

Kingair9
Did you hear that NATO has 2 x AN-124 in service? They are leased on the basis of Salis (Strategic Airlift Interim Solution) and based in LEJ/Germany for rapid troop and equipment transport if needed by NATO.
Operated by a partnership of Volga Dnepr & Antonov on behalf of NATO...

Yes of course, and not only is Canada party to that agreement, we use them regularly. An-124s delivered tanks for us to Afghanistan recently. And now that Volga-Dnepr has received its first ICAO Annex 16, Chapter 4 approved 50 ton capacity IL-76s, they should be included in SALIS to do flights the An-124s are inadequate for.

[kingair9]

Sorry for the OT - but these reservations in public opinion are the same bull:mad: why airlines in Europe are still hesitating to buy the Sukhoi Jet although they are sitting on the design committee. There are rumours (not more) inside LH that they are contemplating this type for one of their regional affiliates.

Back to topic:

General problem: Most people incl. "experts" have no real idea about the sub-types of Russian-built planes. If you ask 100 people in aviation (so no outsiders), 99 will have never heard of a Western-standard approved IL-76. For them it's all "Russian Scrap"...

:*