Mirosławiec 2009-04-30
The tragedy of the CASA C-295 M plane on January 23, 2008.
On January 23, 2008 (Wednesday) around 7:00 p.m., during the approach to landing at the military airport in Mirosławiec, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, the Polish Armed Forces CASA C-295 M nb 019 transport plane, belonging to the 13th Transport Aviation Squadron, crashed. stationed in Balice. The plane was flying along the planned route; Okęcie, Powidz, Krzesiny, Mirosławiec, Świdwin, Balice.
There were 16 passengers and 4 crew members on board. They all died and were PSP officers. Honor their memory! May God receive them into his kingdom and give their families comfort.
On January 23, 2008, the 50th Flight Safety Conference was held at the Air Force Command in Warsaw. The managerial staff participated in the conference. After the conference, some of its participants found themselves on board a transport plane. From Okecie at 4:51 pm, 4 crew members and 41 passengers flew into the air.
The aircraft with the side number 019 was produced in 2007, it was delivered to Poland on August 1, 2007 and a month later it was incorporated into the Air Force. The aircraft has achieved a flight time of 393 hours, so it should undergo the first periodic maintenance after 300 hours of flight. Such service was performed on November 29, 2007. The plane was undoubtedly new and modern. Capable of "all weather conditions" day and night flights.
The flight was fine. Landing (17; 35) in Powidz. Here 10 soldiers got off and take off (17; 51) to Krzesin. Landing (18; 11) and 15 soldiers disembarked. From Krzesin, start (18; 24) to Mirosławiec, no comments. Service ceiling 4,900 m and speed 400 km / h. During the approach to landing, the crew was forced to go around. Around 7:07 the plane, during the second attempt to approach to landing, the plane crashed at a distance of about 1,300 m before the RWY threshold.
There was a fire. The plane burned down. After the fall, there was a forest fire. A rescue operation was launched immediately. The rescue operation was led by the deputy commander of the 12th Air Base in Mirosławiec, Lt. Col. Zbigniew Wolewicz. The rescue operation after the CASA plane crash also involved forces and resources from outside the Ministry of National Defense, including the Police, Ambulance Service, State Fire Service and Volunteer Fire Brigade. In the early hours of the night the following people arrived at the crash site: General Franciszek Gągor, the Chief of General Staff of the Polish Army, and the Air Force Commander, Gen. Andrzej Błasik. Then, the Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the Minister of National Defense Bogdan Klich came to the area of the disaster. Lech Kaczyński, the President of the Republic of Poland, was notified late.
Weather situation in Krzesiny (18; 30); cloudiness 7/4, cloud base 390 m, visibility 5 km, fog, wind 180/2, air temperature 0.8 degrees C, humidity 94%, pressure 1029.4. In Mirosławiec (19; 00); cloud cover 8/7, cloud base 90 m, visibility 3 km, mist wind 190/1, air temperature 0.7 degrees C, humidity 97%, air pressure 1027.0.
After the tragic crash of the C-295 M aircraft, the Air Force Commander issued a ban on flights on this type of aircraft, which was valid until further notice. However, on the basis of a letter from the chairman of the State Aviation Accident Investigation Committee, on 31.01.2008, two airplanes staying in Afghanistan and Lebanon were allowed to fly to the country (previously they were inspected for technical efficiency), and on 01.02.2008, all C-295 M returned to service.
So many dry facts. And the pain in the hearts is great. The words don't mean anything here. All that remains is memory. Defense Minister Bogdan Klich conveyed his condolences and condolences to the families and relatives of the victims. - It is a great pain, we join our families in suffering. We will explain all these matters - the head of the Ministry of National Defense assured and declared help to the families of the victims. - The Ministry of Defense and the army will do everything to prevent the families of the victims from being left alone, both in these difficult times and in the long term, promised Minister Klich. Minister Klich also thanked the civil services for their help in the rescue operation. President Lech Kaczyński announced a three-day national mourning. The Sejm of the Republic canceled the session of the chamber.
Victims of the CASA C-295 M nb 019 plane crash.
1) Maj. Gen. pil. Andrzej ANDRZEJEWSKI - 1st BLT; 2) Col. Dipl. pil. Zdzisław CIEŚLIK - 1st BLT; 3) Lt. Col. pil. MSc. Robert MAY - 1st BLT; 4) Lt. Col. MSc Eng. Mirosław WILCZYŃSKI - 1st BLT; 5) brig. pil. Jerzy PIŁAT - 12. BLot; 6) Lt. Col. MSc Eng. Dariusz PAWLAK - 12. BLot; 7) Lt. Col. pil. Grzegorz JUŁGA - 8th elt; 8) major pil. MSc. Paweł ZDUNEK - 8th elt; 9) major mgr inż. Karol SZMIGIEL - 8th elt; 10) brig. pil. Dariusz MACIĄG - 21. BLot; 11) Lt. Col. MSc Eng. Piotr FIRLINGER - 21. BLot; 12) Colonel MSc Eng. Zbigniew KSIĄŻEK - 22nd BLot; 13) Col. pil. MSc. Wojciech MANIEWSKI - 40th elt; 14) major pil. Leszek ZIEMSKI - 40th elt; 15) major mgr inż. Grzegorz STEFANIUK - 40th elt; 16) Lt. Col. Krzysztof SMOŁUCHA - DSP.
Aircraft crew: Lieutenant pilot Robert Kuźma - crew commander. Lieutenant pilot Michał Smyczyński - co-pilot. Major Jarosław Haładus - deck technician. Sergeant Janusz Adamczyk - loading technician.
"Honor their memory"
CASA C-295 M nb 019.
Airframe type and serial number - CASA C-295M No. 043; - production date - July 16, 2007; - total service life - operated according to the technical condition; - total flight time - 399 hours 04 min. Left engine: - type and serial number - PW127G no. PCE-AX0097; - production date - February 17, 2007; - total service life - 6,000 hours; - total working time - 399 hours 04 min. Right engine: - type and serial number - PW127G no. PCH-AX0098; - production date - February 27, 2007; - total service life - 6000 hours; - total working time - 399 hours 04 min.
The CASA C-295M side number 019 (factory 043) was part of the PO 02 production series and was one of the two newest C-295 M aircraft operated by the Polish Air Force. The differences in the equipment of the PO 02 series compared to the earlier PO 01 include, among other things, equipping the aircraft with a warning system for approaching the ground - EGPWS, Mark V type, and two LN-100G IRS / GPS inertial platforms (instead of TOPSTAR 100 GPS receivers). -2). LN-100G platforms do not have cryptographic modules enabling the reception of encoded signals from GPS satellites. As a consequence, the inertial navigation system of the PO02 series aircraft is devoid of correction from GPS signals, which significantly reduces its accuracy. The modules were to be provided by the Polish side - the Department of Communications Equipment, IT, Reconnaissance and the EC of the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate, as the Central Logistics Authority in the field of cryptographic protection systems. Until the purchase of cryptographic modules, the crews on this version of the aircraft use GARMIN GPSMAP 196 portable receivers or navigation tablets that are not integrated with the aircraft's navigation system.
Before the flight, the plane was prepared in the passenger version. In the front part of the load compartment, 12 soft seats (six on the left and right sides) were installed, while in the rear part, apart from the side seats, there were additional seats for the middle row for six people. The plane could carry 49 passengers. At the time of the incident, in addition to the four crew members, there were 16 passengers on board.
The hydraulic system of the aircraft and the oil systems of the engines were filled in accordance with the requirements. At the WARSZAWA-OKĘCIE airport, the fuel system of the aircraft was refueled up to 4,200 kg. It has been calculated that during the impact with the ground there were approximately 2,700-2,800 kg of fuel in the aircraft fuel tanks. In the last phase of the flight, the plane was in the following configuration: landing gear extended, wing flaps deflected by 15 degrees, landing lights off. Taxi lights in the front landing gear bay were on (2 x 250W). Before the incident, the plane was technically operational. All technical services required by the regulations were performed. No causal relationship was found between the technical condition of the aircraft and the incident.
According to the accident investigation commission report, the cause of the crash was a pilot error of the flight crew.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman