When the hockey players of the locomotive crashed. “The phrase that time heals is not true”: six years ago, a plane crashed with Lokomotiv hockey players. American boxing team plane crash

Coming in to land at the Sverdlovsk airport "Koltsovo", "Douglas S-47", which belonged to the Ministry of Defense, crashed during landing. Of the 13 members of the Air Force team and 6 pilots, no one survived.

WHY THE TEAM FLIGHT BY PLANE

The tournament situation for the Air Force team was not easy at all. At the end of 1949, she was in first place, but, having lost to the Moscow Dynamo, she shared the leadership with the CDKA. Vasily Stalin, commander of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District, is a real fan of hockey, did everything so that the pilots became champions of the USSR for the first time. From the army team to the Air Force, immediately after the New Year, the country's best striker Vsevolod Bobrov was transferred. There were other personnel decisions. The game against the Chelyabinsk Dzerzhinets was supposed to be Bobrov's debut in the new team. One of the reasons that the team flew to Chelyabinsk by plane was considered the need for Bobrov to play with new partners.

Usually in those days, both football players and hockey players traveled to games by train. However, Vasily Stalin, as they say, “using his official position”, sent his favorites by planes that were part of the MVO Air Force. True, that fatal flight, as hockey veterans recalled, should not have taken place at all. The pilots had to travel by train from the Kazan station. But playing coach Boris Bocharnikov, who understood that three days on the train could affect sportswear team, literally begged Lieutenant General Stalin to provide a plane so that, having taken off at six in the morning on January 5, to be in Chelyabinsk in the evening and practice for two or three days.

CATASTROPHE

The weather deteriorated sharply. Already during the landing in Kazan, it became clear that the weather conditions in Chelyabinsk were difficult. The Ural was practically closed to aviation. But Boris Bocharnikov, who had just become the team's coach, wanted to get to his destination as quickly as possible. I rushed to call Vasily Stalin. He, after much persuasion, gave the go-ahead for the fatal flight.

The snow and wind intensified, and I had to forget about flying to Chelyabinsk. The S-47 was ordered to land at Sverdlovsk. The weather there was "on the verge". Four times the pilots tried to land, but failed each time. The fifth entry was fatal...

According to the official version, the Douglas crashed because it was disoriented by the signals of the driving radio station from the Aramil military airfield located nearby. Due to negligence, the radio stations of the two airports operated on the same frequencies, as a result of which the crew eventually lost their orientation in space (it was visually impossible to land due to heavy snow), and the plane crashed to the ground.

Today we learn about air crashes minutes after the incident. And in 1950, few people knew about the death of hockey players and crew. Even the match "Dzerzhinets" - VVS was not canceled, although another team played (and won). They hid the details of the disaster until the end of the sixties. It was then that the first materials on this topic appeared and was published. full list dead. And in January 1950, a couple of weeks after the 70th birthday of Generalissimo Stalin, it was considered impossible to overshadow the national celebrations. There were no official announcements. The Air Force team continued to play, and included players whose names were familiar to the fans. In those days, announcers announced the line-ups without mentioning names. The place of the deceased Yuri Zhiburtovich was taken by his brother Pavel, instead of Alexander Moiseev they took the namesake to the team. And Bobrov, Shuvalov, Vinogradov were known as Air Force players. But the fans, of course, eventually learned everything. But whether Joseph Stalin found out about the disaster is unknown. Most likely, Stalin Jr., realizing that he was in trouble (sent a command on a service military aircraft), did everything so that his father would not be “upset”. And he held on as commander of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District for another two and a half years ...

You can treat the magic of numbers as you like, but many will probably consider the number 42 fatal for our hockey players. On September 7, 2011, the Lokomotiv team (Yaroslavl) crashed in a Yak-42 aircraft, and on January 5, 1950, MVO Air Force hockey players died in Douglas C-47 with tail number 42 ...

SURVIVERS

There are several cases associated with this story. miraculous salvation five hockey players. They were supposed to be on board, but at the last moment something happened that they were not allowed to go there.

The Air Force team lost the last match before the flight to Dynamo. The confrontation between the two clubs in those days was fundamental. And then the pilots' coach was Matvey Goldin, a real hockey devotee. At the Dynamo in that game, Goldin's pupil Vasily Trofimov flashed. And when the players and coaches went to the locker room, Goldin congratulated him: “He played great, Vasilek!” This phrase was immediately reported to Vasily Stalin. The reaction was instant: “Oh, you congratulate our enemies!” shouted General Goldin. As a result, the Air Force team entered the new year 1950 with playing coach Boris Bocharnikov. And Goldin remained alive ...

The all-powerful commander of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District, in order to strengthen the team, transferred several players to it before the New Year, including Viktor Shuvalov, who had previously played in Chelyabinsk. It was for this reason that Stalin Jr. decided: Shuvalov would not go to Chelyabinsk, so as not to irritate local fans (read the hockey player’s memoirs in the column on the right).

Alexander Vinogradov "saved himself." He was saved by a rough game against the goalkeeper of the Wings of the Soviets. For this, he was suspended for two matches. And they decided not to take him to Chelyabinsk ...

The most famous "salvation" is the fate of Vsevolod Bobrov, in those days the best hockey player, yes, perhaps, and the football player of the USSR. How many versions of what happened to him on the morning of January 5 went around in the hockey environment in Soviet times! Some said that he was drinking with someone and therefore was late for the plane. Others, including our outstanding coach Anatoly Vladimirovich Tarasov, told and wrote that he allegedly even managed to get to the airfield and ran after the plane, but they did not notice him. Still others believed that Bobrov, who is credited with the catchphrase “The one who cannot play is training,” was generally going to travel by train and arrive directly at the game. Vsevolod Mikhailovich himself wrote that he was let down by an alarm clock set for 4 in the morning (the plane was leaving at 6).

Another person who did not hit the crashed S-47 was one of the most famous Soviet coaches, and at that time 19-year-old hockey player and Air Force footballer Viktor Vasilyevich Tikhonov. At one time he told me that when in 1948 he was invited to football team Dynamo, two officers in flight uniform came to the training session and urged him to attend the next game between the Air Force and Spartak. It was not accepted to refuse such proposals. After the game, he was taken to a short general who examined him, shook his hand and said, "Good young man." It is clear that Stalin Jr. was the general, and his phrase meant that Tikhonov was moving to the pilot team.

Viktor Vasilyevich in 1950 played football, bandy and puck for the Air Force. But he did not grow up to the main composition. Therefore, although he was considered a team player, he did not fly to Chelyabinsk ...

Alexey BOGOMOLOV.

EYEWITNESS STORY

“We played eight. And then we went to bury ... "

We managed to get through to the legendary hockey player Viktor Shuvalov.

In the 50s, not a single newspaper wrote about the death of the Air Force, - says Shuvalov. - And we went out and played the next day. Eight...

You miraculously escaped death...

Our playing coach Boris Bocharnikov turned to the team's curator Vasily Stalin and asked us to fly to the next match in Chelyabinsk early. It is very cold there, the guys need to acclimatize. Stalin said: “Well, if necessary, then prepare the plane. Just don’t take Shuvalov with you.” And I just recently moved from Chelyabinsk to Moscow. Stalin rightly believed that I would be booed in the Urals.

How did you find out about the death of the team?

Vasily Stalin's adjutant arrived and said: "Let's go, the commander is calling." There were already several players in Stalin's reception room, conversations began: something was wrong with the team. It is now television, radio, the Internet. Everything becomes known at once. And then if the radio, then only word of mouth. Someone said something to someone. Ten minutes later we were called to Stalin, who sat us down and said: “Guys, misfortune. The team crashed. You need to pack up and go by train to Chelyabinsk for the game.” We sat down and drove off. To Chelyabinsk, then to Sverdlovsk, and so on... And no one asked us what we were feeling, whether we were shaking or not... At that time, everyone had to be strong and healthy. And relatives in Chelyabinsk, even after my call, did not believe that I was alive ...

We went from Chelyabinsk to Sverdlovsk, where we were taken to the hangar. There were mangled bodies of children. It was impossible to watch. But we watched. Then they played. And after the game they buried ....

Dmitry NESTEROV (" Soviet sport"- especially for" KP ")

Cursed route

Pakhtakor football players who crashed 32 years ago also flew to Minsk.

On August 11, 1979, perhaps one of the most terrible tragedies in our football happened. Two scheduled Tu-134 passenger planes collided in the sky over Dneprodzerzhinsk. In one of them, the Pakhtakor team flew from Tashkent to the match of the USSR championship. Together with 17 members of the club, 172 passengers died in that plane crash. The paradox of the situation is that the club from Tashkent flew, like the hockey players of Lokomotiv, to the capital of Belarus, where they were supposed to play with Dynamo (Minsk).

Prepared by Alexander BOGOMOLOV, Alexander BOYKO, Elena KRIVYAKINA, Rinat NIZAMOV, Alexander GRISHIN, Yaroslav KOROBATOV, Alexandra MAYANTSEVA, Valery BUTAEV, Dmitry STESHIN, Vladimir VORSOBIN, Roman PRYANIKOV, Mikhail KONTUEV, Tatyana MIKHNEVICH, Nadezhda KLEMINA (KP - Yaroslavl) , Victoria MINAEVA (“KP” - Novosibirsk), Inna KRIVETS, Victoria DUDINA (“KP” - Saratov), ​​Evgeny SAZONOV, Andrey OSMOLOVSKY (“KP” - Minsk), Daria TOKAREVA, Alexei OVCHINNIKOV, Dinara NAZHIPOVA (“ KP "- Ufa"), Irina KOZLIK ("KP" - Minsk), Vera SOKOLOVA ("KP" - Saratov).

Remember September 7th Yaroslavl hockey team Lokomotiv got into a plane crash. The Yak-42 plane, on which the Yaroslavl hockey players flew to Minsk, where they were supposed to play with the local Dynamo, fell from a height of 500 meters immediately after takeoff. There were 45 people on board, 37 of them were hockey players (

In the photo: a team photo of Lokomotiv hockey players.

Forward Ivan Tkachenko played 220 matches for Lokomotiv, in which he scored 43 goals and made 51 assists. A native of Yaroslavl, Ivan Tkachenko was born in 1979. Played for Nizhnekamsk "Neftekhimik" and "Locomotive". In 2002, having won silver medals in the World Hockey Championship as part of the Russian national team, he received the title of Honored Master of Sports. Twice he became a gold, silver and bronze medalist of the championships of Russia.

In the photo: Lokomotiv striker Ivan Tkachenko rejoices at the victory after the end of the match of the final series of the West Conference of the Continental hockey league season 2010/11 between HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl) and HC Atlant (Moscow Region).

Forward Alexander Kalyanin played 129 matches for Lokomotiv. On account of the 23-year-old hockey player 29 goals and 29 assists.

In the photo: Lokomotiv forward Alexander Kalyanin during the match of the final series of the West Conference of the Kontinental Hockey League season 2010/11 between HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl) and HC Atlant (Moscow Region).

Czech striker Josef Vasichek played 220 matches for Lokomotiv, in which he scored 75 goals and made 110 assists. World Champion 2005 as part of the Czech national team.

In the photo of RIANOVOSTI: Lokomotiv forward Josef Vashichek rejoices at a goal in the final match of the West conference series of the Kontinental Hockey League season 2010/11 between HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl) and HC Atlant (Moscow Region).

Defender Marat Kalimulin played 66 matches for Lokomotiv (two goals, 15 assists). Previously, the 23-year-old hockey player played in the Togliatti “Lada”.

In the photo of RIANOVOSTI: Dynamo Riga forward Tomas Surovy and Lokomotiv defender Marat Kalimulin (left to right) in the semifinal match of the West conference of the Kontinental Hockey League season 2010/11 between HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl) and HC Dynamo (Riga).

Goalkeeper Alexander Vyukhin played 19 matches for the Yaroslavl club, in which he reflected 91% of shots. Previously, the 38-year-old hockey player played for Severstal Cherepovets and Metallurg Novokuznetsk.

In the photo of RIANOVOSTI: Lokomotiv goalkeeper Alexander Vyukhin in the regular season match of the Kontinental Hockey League season 2010/11 between HC Ak Bars (Kazan) and HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl).

Czech defender Karel Rachunek played 68 matches for Lokomotiv, in which he scored 19 goals and made 40 assists. Previously, the 32-year-old hockey player played for Dynamo Moscow.

In the photo: HC Lokomotiv defender Karel Rachunek during the regular season 2010/11 Kontinental Hockey League match between HC Metallurg (Magnitogorsk) and HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl).

Slovak striker Pavol Demitra played for Lokomotiv in 72 matches. On account of his 24 goals and 57 assists.

In the photo: HC Lokomotiv forward Pavol Demitra during the 2010/11 regular season match of the Kontinental Hockey League between HC Metallurg (Magnitogorsk) and HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl).

Forward Daniil Sobchenko played 68 matches for Lokomotiv. On account of the 20-year-old hockey player 6 goals and 3 assists.

In the photo: forward Daniil Sobchenko during a team meeting at Sheremetyevo airport. The Russian youth ice hockey team, which won the 2011 world champion title, arrived in Moscow.

Czech striker Jan Marek moved to Lokomotiv before the start of the 2011/2012 season. Previously, the 31-year-old hockey player played for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, CSKA and Atlant near Moscow.

In the photo: CSKA forward Jan Marek in the 2010/11 regular season match of the Kontinental Hockey League between HC Dynamo (Moscow) and HC CSKA (Moscow).

Forward Gennady Churilov played 218 matches for Lokomotiv, in which he scored 35 goals and made 76 assists.

In the photo: hockey player Gennady Churilov at a training session of the Russian national ice hockey team before the Karjala Cup 2010 tournament.

Defender Mikhail Balandin moved to Lokomotiv before the start of the 2011/2012 season. Previously, the 31-year-old hockey player played for Dynamo Moscow and Atlant near Moscow.

In the photo: Spartak player Igor Musatov and Dynamo player Mikhail Balandin (foreground) in the 2010/11 KHL regular season match between HC Spartak (Moscow) and HC Dynamo (Moscow).

Defender Vitaly Anikeenko played 175 games in the KHL for Lokomotiv, scoring 15 goals and making 39 assists.

In the photo of RIANOVOSTI: forward of HC MVD Yuri Dobryshkin and defender of Lokomotiv Vitaly Anikeenko in the match of the semifinal play-off series of the Kontinental Hockey League season 2010/11 between HC MVD (Moscow Region) and HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl).

Striker Nikita Klyukin went on the ice as part of Lokomotiv 130 times. On account of the 21-year-old hockey player 14 goals and 17 assists.

In the photo of RIANOVOSTI: Lokomotiv forward Nikita Klyukin (foreground) during the match open championship Russia - the championship of the Continental Hockey League of the 2009/10 season between the teams Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl) and Salavat Yulaev (Ufa) at the UKSK Arena-2000 stadium in Yaroslavl.

In the photo: Forward Alexander Vasyunov, born in 1988, played two matches for Lokomotiv.

Stefan Liv, a native of Gdynia, Poland, was adopted at the age of two by a Swedish family. In 2000, at the age of 19, he made his debut in the match of the Swedish national team, with whom he won the gold of the Olympic Games in Turin in 2006. In addition, the most useful player of Siberia in the 2010/2011 season won hockey championship world in 2006, became a silver (2004) and bronze (2002, 20009) winner of the World Cup.

In the photo: Sibir goalie Stefan Liv during the regular season 2010/11 KHL match between Sibir (Novosibirsk) and Amur (Khabarovsk).

Defender Pavel Trakhanov moved to Lokomotiv before the start of the 2011/2012 season. Previously, the 33-year-old hockey player played for the HC MVD and Atlant near Moscow.

In the photo: Pavel Trakhanov (Atlant) in the semifinal match of the West Conference of the Kontinental Hockey League season 2010/11 between HC SKA (St. Petersburg) and HC Atlant (Moscow Region).

In the photo of RIANOVOSTI: forwards of SKA and Lokomotiv Alexander Kucheryavenko and Sergey Ostapchuk (from right to left) in the regular season 2010/2011 Kontinental Hockey League match between HC SKA (St. Petersburg) and HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl).

Forward Andrei Kiryukhin played 142 matches for Lokomotiv, in which he scored 24 goals and made 33 assists.

In the photo: Lokomotiv forward Andrei Kiryukhin and Atlant forward Alexander Nesterov (left to right) in the match of the final series of the West conference of the 2010/2011 season of the Continental Hockey League between HC Atlant (Moscow Region) and HC Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl).

Igor Korolev ended his career at Lokomotiv and stayed there as a coach, although his family continued to live in Canada, where he played in the 90s. Wife Vera admitted that she still remembers in detail the tragic day of September 7, 2011.

"began academic year at a Canadian school. We talked with Igor in the evening, as always. He said he had a hectic day ahead. He usually called me twenty times a day, he was interested in all the affairs. He swore when I couldn’t answer: “Why do you need a mobile if you don’t answer?” And then I was all in business, I only had a news radio in my car. I thought about other things and did not hear the first announcements. I came home, opened the computer and then ... ”Vera recalls.

“I can't describe it any further. Neighbors came running, some people came to the house, left, someone called me. I asked my friends to pick up their daughters from school, but they did not say anything. I didn't know how to tell the girls and that was the hardest part. In one moment my life turned upside down. When they talk about the second half, they probably don’t even know what they mean. And I knew. Igor was my other half. We've been together since first grade. And he left. I don’t even remember a conscious life without him, ”Koroleva told Sport-Express.

The father of Lokomotiv captain Ivan Tkachenko, Leonid, recalled how in one of his last conversations his son assured that the team would shine in the KHL in the new season.

“He said that the team is very strong and united. The guys got so close that no one was hiding behind anyone - everyone worked at full strength. I myself saw that Lokomotiv in a friendly game against Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, the team had great potential. These guys are here! It is unfortunate that we never saw this team in the present case. In general, this is probably the strongest lineup in history, even stronger than in the golden days of Vladimir Vuytek. And what I especially liked was that there were seven local players, pupils of the Yaroslavl school, ”said Tkachenko Sr. in an interview with Soviet Sport.

“I pay tribute to the leaders of Lokomotiv, to the way they keep the memory of the team”

In 2016, September 7 fell on the period of preparation of the Russian team for the World Cup. National team honored the memory of Lokomotiv, and coach Harijs Vitolins admitted that he always remembers the dead club.

“You always remember this. When you meet someone, you discuss - always. And whenever you come to Lokomotiv, memories always come. You always have to remember and support,” Vitolins said.

Grief affected everyone who was associated with Lokomotiv. Vladimir Yurzinov coached the team from 2005 to 2007 and was familiar not only with the dead players, but also with the club's staff.

“Oh, a difficult topic ... All of mine left there: the doctor, the videographer, and the administrator. I am connected with Yaroslavl by a common grief. Sometimes I come alone to the guys, have a drink, sit in the cemetery and leave. What was the youth like? Anikeenko, Kiryukhin. Churilov, Vasyunov. Oh, how many are there! And my guys from Dynamo? Korolev, Karpovtsev... Or Karlis Skrastinsh. Recently I was in Riga, I went to his grave ... I pay tribute to the leaders of Lokomotiv, to the way they keep the memory of the team. I am grateful to them for this,” Yurzinov said on the fifth anniversary of the tragedy.

• Memorial at the crash site in the village of Tunoshna
• RIA News
• Yaroslav Neelov

The widow of the player Mikhail Balandin, Elena, said in 2012 that she did not want to live after the tragedy.

“After the death of Misha, the daughter became isolated. Gained nine pounds in a month. But I didn’t want to live, I thought about death, for 40 days my son and mother lived with me. They followed the tracks, guarded; I'm a doctor, I know what to drink to quietly leave for good. I could lie down for days - I died with him. But the daughter must be raised. She did not see my tears. If not for the child, I would have been lying next to Mishka. I bought myself a plot at the Leontievsky cemetery, albeit across the path from the memorial to hockey players, but nearby. Only, apparently, Mishka does not want my death. A week ago, I had an accident, the car turned over, tumbled about fifty meters. The side airbags worked ... I broke the windshield with my feet, got out of the car and lost consciousness, ”said Elena Balandina in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda.

"Every morning you ask yourself why he's not around"

Maxim Shuvalov was the youngest hockey player to die in a plane crash. At the time of the crash, he was only 18 years old. His mother Svetlana at that moment decided that she would have another child in memory of her son.

“The phrase that time heals is not true. People can get used to the pain a little, but it is impossible to forget this. It didn't get easier for me. My husband and I do whatever we want so that we don't have time to constantly think about this tragedy. I can't describe in words what's going on in my soul. I personally told myself that he had left, although deep down, of course, I understand that this is not true.

It is unbearable to want to talk to him, to hug him so that he is next to us again. We still have strength, age allows us to have another child. This is our salvation. We know for whom to live, we need to raise and put our son on his feet. How the rest of the families cope with the consequences of the tragedy, I simply cannot imagine, ”Svetlana told Arguments and Facts immediately after the tragedy. Later, the family had a son, Artyom.

• RIA News
• Vadim Zhernov

Hockey player Pavel Snurnitsyn wanted to marry his girlfriend Victoria Kashikhina after the upcoming season, but family happiness was cut short. The girl admitted in 2013 that no one could replace Pavel.

“Over time, the pain does not dull. Yes, you learn to live with it somehow. You get used to the idea that he is no more. Trying to do something. But still every morning you ask yourself why he is not around. During the day, certain events occur, and you think: “What would Pasha say to this?” I miss him in everything, first of all, in the emotions that he gave me. He made me happy. And now, no matter how many people are around, no one can replace him for me, ”said Victoria.

September 7 in ancient Yaroslavl in memory of the tragic dead hockey players"Locomotive" will pass the march of silence. Thousands of fans will take part in it.

As Sovetsky Sport found out, this popular initiative has an author. This is a modest Yaroslavl girl Ekaterina Kozhan. How not to kiss such a hand? ..

Katya has been a fan of Lokomotiv since 2005. Since I moved to Yaroslavl from Karelia as a student…

- There is no official fan club in Yaroslavl. But what loyal fans to the team! And I gradually joined this family ... - Ekaterina recalls. - In general, I don’t go to visits for Lokomotiv very often. But I am proud that in December I went with our team to Chelyabinsk for the VHL championship match.

- Have you seen the game of the new Lokomotiv, which will start in the KHL championship?
- Yes. Two matches during preseason. In Moscow with CSKA and in Yaroslavl with the St. Petersburg army team. It was important to see not only the players' new names, but also how the guys in the hockey jerseys of our beloved Lokomotiv play.

- Did you like the game?
- It was evident that many young guys literally left their teeth on the ice! So they wanted to prove themselves, to get into the main team. Well, the balls bounced off hardened rivals. It was nice that our adults stood up for them. Aleksey Kalyuzhny rushed into the fray... It is immediately clear that the team is close-knit.

"I SEE KOZLOV AS A CAPTAIN"

- And who, in your opinion, is the leader of the new Lokomotiv?
- I can't figure it out yet. I would like defender Vitaly Vishnevsky to become it. After all, he played in Lokomotiv. And, therefore, it can convey to newcomers the special spirit of our team.

And what is this spirit like?
- Lokomotiv has always been a family team. Our guys didn't just play together. They were friends for life. I noticed that people with rot in Lokomotiv did not stay for a long time ... The players often got together. We could drive the whole team out of the city, sincerely and warmly communicate with the fans. That's why we, the fans, considered ourselves one family with the fans.

You spoke about the leader. And who would you like to see as the captain of the new Lokomotiv? Or are the captain and leader the same person?
– Viktor Kozlov deserves to be a captain. I know that all the players respect him. And he is a very open person.

EMIL GALIMOV WERE WELCOME...

- How did the Yaroslavl fans react to the fact that the namesake of Alexander Galimov, Emil, appeared in Lokomotiv?
- When in December Emil scored the first goal in Yaroslavl in the “tower”, and the announcer announced: Emil scored the goal ... people shouted the name Galimov so that tears splashed from my eyes. This newcomer was received very warmly by the fans.

- What do you think, will longtime fans of the team accept the new Lokomotiv in general?
- Of course, it is more difficult for someone than, for example, for me to accept new players. But after all, they will perform in our “classic” form. A year without a team has taught us, the fans, to appreciate and love what we have here and now. You can't live in the past all the time...

HOW IT WAS
WHAT HAPPENED NEAR YAROSLAVL A YEAR AGO

On September 7, at 15.58, the Yak-42 aircraft with the Lokomotiv on board received permission to take off at the Tunoshna airport in Yaroslavl. The charter flight was supposed to deliver the team to Minsk. In the capital of Belarus, the next day, a meeting of the regular KHL championship with the local Dynamo was scheduled.

A minute and a half after takeoff, flying about 120 meters, the Yak-42 fell on the left wing. Almost immediately there was an explosion of kerosene ...

The entire main team of the Yaroslavl team was on board - 37 hockey players, coaches and staff, as well as 8 crew members.

At the time of the crash, only two passengers survived - team striker Alexander Galimov, who had 90 percent burns to his body, and flight engineer Alexander Sizov with 15 percent burns.

On September 12, Alexander Galimov, who struggled with death for five days after the disaster, died at the Vishnevsky Institute of Surgery in the capital. Later, experts will say that it is almost impossible to survive with such a percentage of burns.

“90 percent of burns ... How would you explain what such an extensive burn is,” the doctors said. - Well, if it's very approximate ... It's like a man stripped naked to be driven out into a severe forty-degree frost for several hours. In such a situation, one could only hope for a miracle. Unfortunately, it didn't happen..."

Alexander Sizov was discharged from the hospital after some time.

On November 12, the Interstate Aviation Committee published the results of an investigation into the Yak-42 crash, which led to the death of Lokomotiv. The crash of the plane, according to the commission, was provoked by the actions of one of the pilots, who mistakenly used braking instead of “pressing on the gas” ...

To take on board very important passengers. This charter flight is operated by Yak Service and only the crew is on board. The co-pilot - Igor Zhevelov is the deputy director of the company for flight work. By that time he had been a pilot for almost 30 years, and during that time he had flown about 13000 hours. The aircraft commander is Andrey Solomentsev. He is a close friend of Igor Zhevelov. The third person in the cockpit is flight engineer Vladimir Matyushin. Alexander Sizov, an engineer for ground handling of radio-electronic equipment, is also on the plane.

Expert: On charter flights, it is especially important to safely get people from point A to point B, and to provide quality service. The reputation of the company depends on this, whether it will receive an order again.

Special security measures have been introduced at the Yaroslavl airport. The most influential politicians of Russia came to the city for the economic forum. But politicians are not preparing to board the plane. These are no less prestigious passengers - the team of the Yaroslavl hockey club Lokomotiv.

Hockey player: Lokomotiv has fantastic fans. They are able to shout down anyone and always support their team. Every time I came to this city, I felt a special atmosphere. This is real hockey city. They love this game.

Plane crash Lokomotiv Yaroslavl video.

Alexander Galimov - right forward played for Lokomotiv throughout his career. He was born in Yaroslavl, and was considered a real local hero. Main coach Team Brad McRiman was looking forward to the first game of the season. The team has some of the best Russian hockey players. One of them is the team captain Nikolai Tkachenko. In the pre-season games, Lokomotiv was lucky. They have won seven games out of nine. Therefore, the fans are sure that this year the club has every chance to win the Gagarin Cup.

As the company's deputy for flight work, Zhivelov took the opportunity to pilot the aircraft with his heroes on board. On this flight, commander Solomentsev flew the aircraft, and Zhivelov was responsible for radio communications.

The crew starts three Yak-42 engines and puts the stabilizers in the takeoff position. The plane is heading to the capital of Belarus - Minsk, a two-hour flight from Yaroslavl. For the players, this is the first of many flights they will have to take this season. At almost four o'clock in the afternoon, the plane began its takeoff run along the runway. The flight engineer monitored the instruments. Its task is to inform the commander when the aircraft will pick up takeoff speed.

Expert: The speed of the aircraft depends on the thrust of the engines. If everything is done correctly and the flaps and slats are set correctly, then the lift created by the speed will lift the aircraft off the ground, which usually happens.

When takeoff speed was reached, the flight engineer told the commander to raise the plane. He pulled the helm toward himself to turn the ailerons 10 degrees. That should have been enough to get the plane off the ground. However, he remained on the ground. Nothing has happened. The aircraft did not respond to the movement of the helm. The commander asked to give full thrust, but again nothing happened. Even adjusting the stabilizers did not work. Instead of taking off, the plane continued to roll further beyond the runway.

Expert: For pilots, this is a real nightmare. The plane is not flying, and you are rolling on the ground at a speed of 230 km/h.

Who survived the plane crash locomotive?

The crew made desperate attempts to lift the plane off the ground. Finally they made it. The plane took off, but disaster could not be avoided. Yak-42 crashed into the Volga less than a kilometer from the runway. Local police patrolling the river were the first to arrive at the crash site. Alexander Galimov survived the crash and was able to get out of the wreckage on his own. Engineer Alexander Sizov also survived. Arriving at the crash site are shocked to learn that some of the most famous Russian athletes. In the thick black smoke, no other survivors are visible.

Pathologist: When we arrived at the scene, we saw that the whole earth was scorched. Small fragments of the aircraft and fragments of clothing lay around. In the middle of the glade, the bodies of the dead hockey players were already piled up.

A few hours later, Russian aviation experts arrived at the crash site. They must determine the cause of the disaster. Of the 45 people on board, 43 were killed, including the pilots. Hockey club Lokomotiv was killed almost in full force.

A resident of Yaroslavl: It was grief for the whole city, because many of the guys knew not only how famous hockey players but also personally. Everyone took this loss very hard.

The news instantly spread around the world. Everyone was in shock. It was impossible to believe that this could happen to a team of such young, talented guys. In Ufa, the opening match of the Continental Hockey League season was interrupted by terrible news. The players could not continue the match, and it never ended.

The team was loved by everyone and people wanted answers to their questions. All the experts' attention was concentrated on the main thing. Why didn't the plane take off from the runway? For takeoff, there are three main factors. The first is engine power. The second is lift. Flaps must be set correctly to improve the aerodynamic performance of the wing. And finally, in order for the plane to take off at the right angle, the horizontal stabilizer must be set to press the tail of the plane, and raise its nose.

Experts are investigating anything that could indicate an aircraft's incorrect takeoff configuration. Looks like the wing flaps were set correctly. Also, the tail stabilizer was in order. Beyond that, they found nothing to indicate that the engines weren't providing enough thrust to get the plane off the ground. Luckily the flight recorders were found. It was in them that the key to understanding what happened could be contained.

The investigators have two questions. Why didn't the pilots of Flight 9633 get off the runway? And also: why did they not refuse to take off at the first sign of trouble? A team of experts investigating disasters is always under special pressure. But this was a special case. The President of Russia himself takes the matter under his personal control and demands to establish the truth.

To understand what happened in the final moments of Flight 9633, investigators are looking at airport security footage. The cameras captured the moment when the Yak-42 was finally able to get off the ground. The video shows that the plane is correctly configured for takeoff. But there are no clues why things went wrong.

To rise above the ground, the aircraft needed only 1200 meters. They still had about 2800 meters of strip free. Something was holding the plane up while it was about to take off. Experts are scratching their heads, what exactly? They believe the plane may have been too heavy.

Expert: If you underestimate or miscalculate weight, you won't have the full picture. You don't know what to expect from an airplane.

Suspicions arose when investigators learned that Yak Service did not have scales at the airport. All calculations were made approximately. But when the experts calculated the theoretical weight of the crew and their luggage, they concluded that the plane was not overloaded. Even with everything hockey equipment the weight of the aircraft was far from the maximum allowable.

Plane crash Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

Perhaps it was speed? The experts return to the engines. Using the estimated weight of the aircraft, they determined that it needed a speed of 215 km/h. Engine misfiring could explain what happened. However, by examining the records of the flight recorder, they determined that the engines accelerated the aircraft to a speed much greater than that required for takeoff. The investigation is deadlocked.

Expert: The plane is designed to fly. The plane wants to fly. At a speed of 210 km / h and the stabilizer set to 7 degrees, the Yak-42 itself breaks away from the runway; nothing complicated.

On September 10, 2011, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, along with 40,000 mourning fans, took part in a memorial service for Lokomotiv hockey players. And two days later, Alexander Galimov, the last member of one of the best hockey teams Russia, died from injuries. The Yaroslavl tragedy claimed 44 lives.

Experts are trying their best to establish the cause of the tragedy. They scrutinized the information from the flight data recorder. Finally, they managed to notice something unusual. Despite the full thrust of the engines, the Yak-42 did not accelerate as fast as it should.

Expert: During takeoff, when the plane had to constantly pick up speed, it actually slowed down towards the end of the runway. This is very unusual, and potentially dangerous.

Investigators believe that the plane's brakes were on. This is highly unlikely, but applying the brakes could explain the unusual behavior of the aircraft. To confirm this theory, the investigators conducted tests at the flight research institute named after M. Gromov. During the test, during takeoff, they smoothly applied the wheel brakes. The plane had enough thrust to take off. However, the distance required to gain takeoff speed more than doubled.

Expert: These tests showed that 4 brakes on the landing gear were applied and actively slowed down the aircraft during the runway runway. An incredible situation, which is really not easy to explain!

On the voice recorder, you can hear how the crew checked the brakes before takeoff. They were correct. Perhaps the brake system failed already during takeoff, and the brakes were applied by mistake? Such problems have already happened with the Yak-42. However, checking the landing gear of the crashed aircraft showed no signs of mechanical problems. The probability of spontaneous activation of all the brakes at once is negligible. It was simply impossible.

One more question attracts attention of the commission. Why did the crew keep trying to get airborne when the problem was already obvious. The cockpit footage explains a lot of this. Experts hear the crew commander announce the speed of the so-called decision boundary. When the aircraft reaches this speed, the commander must decide whether to continue the takeoff or to abandon it. However, on the recording, you can hear the pilots arguing about what takeoff speed is.. This should not be! Crew should not argue about critical speeds during takeoff. They did not set a speed limit, although it should have been determined before the aircraft began to move.

Expert: Pre-flight briefing is very important element. It is conducted by the aircraft commander. However, it was carried out carelessly. Three people in the cockpit did not agree on a speed at which it would no longer be possible to cancel the takeoff.

If they had refused to take off 3-5 seconds after the first takeoff attempt, everyone would have survived. Instead, they tried to fix the situation until they ran out of streaks.

Expert: They had time to stop. However, they did not think about canceling the takeoff, but continued it.

Why they did this, one can only guess. Perhaps they wanted, by all means, to deliver their prestigious passengers to their destination. After all, if there was a delay due to technical problems, it would hit the image of the airline.

Having come to the conclusion that the brakes were working, the experts believe that one of the pilots turned them on himself.

Expert: This assumption has amazed many in the Russian aviation community. We knew that the pilots were very experienced.

But a new clue appears. A study of the personal files of the pilots showed that they flew two different models of aircraft.. The first of them is the Yak-40. The second is the Yak-42, a larger liner. Pilots flew the Yak-42 only occasionally, and this was a completely incorrect practice. It is dangerous to train pilots to fly two aircraft models at the same time.

By focusing their attention on the brake pedals of the two aircraft, the experts noticed one potentially important difference. The brake pedals of the Yak-40 cover the entire leg of the pilot. But the design of the pedal in the Yak-42 means that the pilot's heel remains on the cockpit floor.

Expert: Pilots flew one aircraft model, then another. And as it turned out, they different way placing your foot on the brake pedal.

Based on this information, investigators hypothesized that the pilot put his whole foot on the brake pedal. Thus, he involuntarily applied the brakes. Is that possible.

Why didn't the pilot notice his mistake? After examining the medical records of the pilots, important information was revealed. Co-pilot in secret was undergoing treatment nervous system . He lost sensation in his legs, and in no case was he supposed to fly a plane.. As a result, he pressed the brake pedals without realizing it.

Applying the brakes on a spinning wheel creates downforce on the aircraft's nose. The Yak-42 seemed to be glued to the runway with glue. And the crew's attempts to raise the nose only worsened the situation, when the plane was still able to take off. He turned up his nose sharply. 20 degrees in 2 seconds, and couldn't stay in the air. Raising the nose resulted in a loss of lift on the wings. The drag increased and the aircraft went into a stall.

Upon further study of the personal files of the pilots, the experts make another shocking discovery. In many cases, they were given certificates for training they did not take.. They had a lot of experience. But their training to fly the Yak-42 was not enough. The Federal Air Transport Agency immediately revoked the license of Yak Service.

In addition, listening to the flight recorder showed that after leaving the runway, the commander began to cancel the takeoff. His example was followed by a flight engineer who reduced the thrust of the engines. However, the co-pilot shouted: “What are you doing?!” and the commander reversed his decision and tried to take off again.

Expert: The rules of action in the cockpit imply a clear hierarchy, at the head of which is the commander. The Yak Service problem was that the co-pilot was formally the commander's chief. He was the company's deputy for flight operations.

They had their last chance to escape, but due to confusion over who was in charge, they didn't take it.

Two months after the crash, investigators released their report. Unintentional braking was cited as the main cause of the tragedy. However, the main reason was that the airline did not comply with security measures.

After terrible tragedy Lokomotiv refused to participate in the 2011 season. On next year the team made a triumphant return to the league. She hopes to win the Gagarin Cup again. The public also learned that the captain of the deceased team, Nikolai Tkachenko, was anonymously involved in charity work, donating millions of rubles to seriously ill children. Minutes before takeoff, he made his final donation to a 16-year-old girl he never knew.

Many hope that the tragedy of Lokomotiv will lead to an increase in flight safety in Russia.