Accident Shaanxi Y-8 31243, Thursday 4 January 2001
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Date:Thursday 4 January 2001
Time:
Type:Silhouette image of generic AN12 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Shaanxi Y-8
Owner/operator:People's Liberation Army - Air Force - PLAAF
Registration: 31243
MSN:
Year of manufacture:1980
Engine model:Zhuzhou WJ6
Fatalities:Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category:Accident
Location:near Zheng Zou Air Base -   China
Phase: Approach
Nature:Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:Zhengzhou Air Base
Narrative:
On January 4, 2001, the 37th Regiment of the 13th Division of the Air Force Aviation Corps organized a daytime recovery training. The crew led by Battalion Commander Meng Fankui and the crew led by Battalion Commander Wang Song flew two Y-8C aircraft (registration numbers 31242 and 31243) respectively for Exercise 542 (daytime instrument landing flight). During the cloud-penetrating landing, the horizontal stabilizers of the aircraft iced up severely, leading to stalls. Unable to make accurate judgments, the flight crew deployed the flaps at a large angle, which further caused severe stalls of the horizontal stabilizers. The aircraft then nosed down sharply, and the pilots were unable to regain control, resulting in vertical crashes (both aircraft crashed at an angle of 90-110 degrees). All 16 crew members on the two aircraft sacrificed their lives. Aircraft 31242 also caused 6 deaths and 2 injuries on the ground.

Sources:

https://www.toutiao.com/article/6244634288462676225/?channel=&source=search_tab

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
31-Aug-2025 06:32 Jetstream 41 Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
31-Aug-2025 06:32 ASN Updated [Damage, ]

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