# NTSB DCA12CA033: Antonov AN124, Anchorage, AK, February 2, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 2, 2012, 14:42 local (18:42 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.173332, -149.983337 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1733&lon=-149.9833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 19, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA International Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 82811 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA12CA033 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82811/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82811 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA12CA033 ## Probable cause an inadvertent encounter with Clear Air Turbulence that resulted in serious injuries to two crewmembers. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence: clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On February 2, 2012, about 1442 Alaska standard time, Volga-Dnepr Airlines flight VDA 4410, an Antonov AN-124-100, registration RA82046, encountered turbulence during approach to land to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was not damaged but two crew members received serious injuries. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 129 as an unscheduled cargo flight from Campbell Army Airfield, Fort Campbell, Kentucky to ANC. According to flight crew statements there were pilot reports of light turbulence in the area. While the airplane was about 40 miles from ANC at an altitude of about 13,000 feet and clear of clouds, the flight encountered severe turbulence that lasted for about 3 to 10 seconds. The flight crew reported that the airplane's g-meter recorded the event at -0.6 to +2.0 Gs. At the time of the turbulence, one maintenance crew member was in the aft technical cabin returning from the lavatory and a second maintenance crewmember was in his seat with the seatbelt buckled but was jolted against the arm rest. Both crewmembers received serious injuries. ## Factual narrative On February 2, 2012, about 1442 Alaska standard time, Volga-Dnepr Airlines flight VDA 4410, an Antonov AN-124-100, registration RA82046, encountered turbulence during approach to land to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was not damaged but two crew members received serious injuries. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 129 as an unscheduled cargo flight from Campbell Army Airfield, Fort Campbell, Kentucky to ANC. According to flight crew statements there were pilot reports of light turbulence in the area. While the airplane was about 40 miles from ANC at an altitude of about 13,000 feet and clear of clouds, the flight encountered severe turbulence that lasted for about 3 to 10 seconds. The flight crew reported that the airplane's g-meter recorded the event at -0.6 to +2.0 Gs. At the time of the turbulence, one maintenance crew member was in the aft technical cabin returning from the lavatory and a second maintenance crewmember was in his seat with the seatbelt buckled but was jolted against the arm rest. Both crewmembers received serious injuries. ## Aircraft - Registration: RA82046 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: ANTONOV AN124 (100M) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 9773052255117 - Engines: LOTAREV D18 51600 lbs thrust turbo fan; LOTAREV D18 51600 lbs thrust turbo fan; LOTAREV D18 51600 lbs thrust turbo fan; LOTAREV D18 51600 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 129 - Operator: Volga-Dnepr - Registered owner: Volga-Dnepr - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KHOP, Fort Campbell, KY - Destination: Anchorage, AK - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; last flight review April 14, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 13,556 total, 2,695 in this make and model, 136 in the last 90 days - Co-pilot; age 33; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; last flight review April 5, 2011; seat: right; flight hours: 4,542 total, 2,087 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82811. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Crew Statements (item 1, .PDF, 100 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434110&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FCrew%20Statements-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous Information - Crew Information (item 2, .PDF, 168 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434111&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20Information%20-%20Crew%20Information-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous Information - Crew Information (item 3, .PDF, 534 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434112&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20Information%20-%20Crew%20Information-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 4, .PDF, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434113&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records Attachment 1 (item 5, .PDF, 226 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434114&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records%20Attachment%201-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records - Attachment 2 (item 6, .PDF, 184 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434115&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records%20-%20Attachment%202-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.