Antonov An-2R – ST-AUS – Air Crash Data

Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 6 October 2009

Aircraft Type: Antonov An-2R

Owner/operator: Bashmia Aero Spray

Registration Number: ST-AUS

Location: Umgalala Airstrip – ÿ Sudan

Phase of Flight: Approach

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1

Component Affected: Aircraft (specifically, the red lamp and the visual cues it provided).Aircraft (specifically, the red lamp and the visual cues it provided).

Category: Accident

On July 12, 2023, an Antonov 2 aircraft, assigned to spray birds, crashed while attempting to operate near Um-galala airstrip in Sudan. The aircraft arrived at the airstrip five days prior and carried out seven spraying flights. The operation began at 18:30 local time and lasted approximately 50 minutes. The captain positioned the aircraft’s lamps by the edges of the airstrip, including seven lamps at the left and three at the right. A flat battery caused the red lamp to be omitted. At approximately 15:45 UTC, the aircraft departed for spraying birds. The airstrip was dark, and there was no moon light. After takeoff, the technician switched on all lamps except the red one, waiting for the aircraft’s arrival. Approximately 50 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft approached the airstrip. It descended to a height of about 25 meters, turned left, and then made a sharp left turn, impacting the left side of the airstrip. The aircraft crashed east of the airstrip, resulting in a fire. The pilot died of injuries. The aircraft was registered as ST-AUS in 2009 but retained its previous Polish registration, SP-WMH. The incident was likely caused by the pilot’s disorientation due to the absence of the red lamp, which indicated the airstrip’s centerline and the presence of birds, combined with visual illusions created by people in the village on the East side of the airstrip.On July 12, 2023, an Antonov 2 aircraft, assigned to spray birds, crashed while attempting to operate near Um-galala airstrip in Sudan. The aircraft arrived at the airstrip five days prior and carried out seven spraying flights. The operation began at 18:30 local time and lasted approximately 50 minutes. The captain positioned the aircraft’s lamps by the edges of the airstrip, including seven lamps at the left and three at the right. A flat battery caused the red lamp to be omitted. At approximately 15:45 UTC, the aircraft departed for spraying birds. The airstrip was dark, and there was no moon light. After takeoff, the technician switched on all lamps except the red one, waiting for the aircraft’s arrival. Approximately 50 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft approached the airstrip. It descended to a height of about 25 meters, turned left, and then made a sharp left turn, impacting the left side of the airstrip. The aircraft crashed east of the airstrip, resulting in a fire. The pilot died of injuries. The aircraft was registered as ST-AUS in 2009 but retained its previous Polish registration, SP-WMH. The incident was likely caused by the pilot’s disorientation due to the absence of the red lamp, which indicated the airstrip’s centerline and the presence of birds, combined with visual illusions created by people in the village on the East side of the airstrip.

Description

The Antonov 2 aircraft was assigned to spray birds at the white Nile Scheme. The aircraft arrived at Um-galala airstrip 5 days before the accident date and carried out seven spraying flight in the previous five days. The spraying of birds start daily about 18:30 local time and took about 50 minutes flight. According to the scheduled operation the aircraft started its flight ten minutes before Sun set to fly to the assigned bird location for spraying chemicals. On the day of the accident the airstrip lights were positioned by the captain himself at the edges of the airstrip. He put seven lamps at the left side and three lamps at the right side of the airstrip. The red lamp which should have been placed at the beginning of the airstrip was not placed that day due to a flat battery. At about 15:45 UTC the aircraft took-off for spraying birds. That night was dark and there was no moon light. After takeoff the technician switched on all lamps except the red one waiting for aircraft arrival. Fifty minutes after takeoff the aircraft was seen approaching the airstrip. The aircraft came flying over the strip at a height of about 25 meters and made a left turn. The aircraft then made another approach and came over the left row of lamps at a height of about 10 meters, as stated by the technician, and made a sharp left turn. At that instant the aircraft went down and crashed east of the airstrip. A fire erupted. The pilot died of his injuries. Although the airplane was formally registered ST-AUS in July 2009, the airplane still carried its previous Polish registration mark SP-WMH. PROBABLE CAUSE: The captain, as he was not rated for instrument flying, was disoriented by the absence of the red lamp which was used to indicate the beginning and centreline of the airstrip in addition to remains of birds on windscreen which decreased the pilot vision. The presence of some people from the village within the East side of airstrip causing illusion of vision to the pilot was considered a contributory factor to this accident.

Primary Cause

Disorientation due to the absence of the red lamp, combined with visual illusions created by people in the village on the East side of the airstrip.Disorientation due to the absence of the red lamp, combined with visual illusions created by people in the village on the East side of the airstrip.

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