Owner of Wrecked An-24 Revealed by Izvestia
Angara Airlines An-24 Crash in Amur Region, Russia: Latest Updates
The tragic incident involving Angara Airlines Flight 2311, an Antonov An-24RV aircraft, occurred on July 24, 2025, in the Amur Oblast of eastern Russia. The aircraft was en route from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda Airport when it crashed, claiming the lives of all 48 people on board.
The Soviet-era plane, built in 1976, crashed during its second landing attempt in poor weather conditions. The crew aborted the first landing due to poor visibility and attempted a go-around. Tragically, the aircraft disappeared from radar about 16 km from Tynda Airport during the second approach and crashed into a forest.
Among the victims were five children and several Russian Railways employees, with one passenger being a Chinese national. The aircraft had a long service history across multiple airlines and was one of ten An-24s operated by Angara Airlines. Despite its age, it had a valid airworthiness certificate renewed in 2021, lasting until 2036, and had reportedly passed a recent technical inspection.
Rosaviatsia, Russia's aviation authority, noted that the aircraft had been involved in four incidents since 2018, but there was no immediate indication that maintenance violations directly caused the crash.
Regarding previous inspection findings by Rostransnadzor, the country's Federal Service for Supervision of Transport, while specific details about their prior findings on Angara Airlines or this particular aircraft are not explicitly detailed, the fact that the airline had been subject to some level of oversight is evident. The mention of the aircraft having four incidents since 2018 suggests Rostransnadzor and other agencies may have been monitoring the airline’s safety and maintenance records. However, no specific violations or technical maintenance breaches were cited in the available sources at this time.
In the wake of the crash, an unscheduled inspection of Angara Airlines was conducted by Rostransnadzor on July 8, 2025. The inspection uncovered numerous violations regarding the technical maintenance of the aircraft and helicopters. As a result, the inspection led to the temporary grounding of eight aircraft operated by "Angara".
Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the crash, but preliminary findings suggest that the crash may have been due to a combination of factors, including the poor weather conditions and potential maintenance issues. A letter from Alexander Prokhodtsev, deputy head of Rostransnadzor, to Vladimir Zabotinsky, managing director of "Angara", requested a plan to address the identified violations and a report on the causes and measures to prevent their recurrence.
Angara Airlines was founded in 2000 and is part of the Island Group. In 2010, it merged with Irkutsk Aviation. The airline's fleet includes An-24, An-26-100 aircraft, and Mi-8 helicopters of various modifications. The captain of the crashed An-24 aircraft was an experienced pilot with around 11,000 hours of flight time.
It's important to note that some engineers and technicians had not had their experience confirmed, and four engineering and technical staff were removed from maintenance duties following the inspections. The crashed An-24 aircraft was 49 years old and had been in use since 1976.
This tragedy serves as a reminder of the importance of rigorous maintenance and safety protocols in the aviation industry. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident.
Technology played a crucial role in investigating the causes of the Angara Airlines An-24 crash, as data from the aircraft's black box was analyzed to determine the sequence of events that led to the crash.
The sports industry also extended its condolences to the families and friends of those who perished in the crash, recognizing the significant loss to the community that included several Russian Railways employees.
