Gold from above - Update - Curt Lewis Video

Accident: Nimbus AN12 at Yakutsk on Mar 15th 2018, cargo shift gilds runway

A Nimbus Airlines Antonov AN-12, registration RA-11130 performing a freight flight from Yakutsk to Krasnojarsk (Russia) carrying a cargo of 9000kg of gold ingots, suffered a shift of its cargo upon departure from Yakutsk causing about 3400 kg of the cargo to break through the fuselage and become distributed over the runway. The aircraft managed to climb out, several airframe panels separated in flight and dropped into a local car park, and diverted to Magan about 6nm west of Yakutsk for a safe landing. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The East Siberian Investigation Department of Transport Russia reported first preliminary investigation results suggest the cargo was fastened incorrectly. Rosaviatsia reported the aircraft "dropped" its cargo following a cargo shift. The owner of the cargo, a Chukotka based gold mining company reported, that all 172 ingots, about 3400 kg of gold, dropped from the aircraft were recovered, all of the cargo was accounted for. The aircraft was enroute from Chukotka (East Siberia) to Krasnojarsk with a scheduled fuel stop at Yakutsk. The aircraft damage:

The "gold-plated" runway:

 http://avherald.com/h?article=4b61d3ba&opt=256

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Date:	15-MAR-2018
Time:	13:15
Type:	Antonov An-12BP
Owner/operator:	Kosmos Airlines
Registration:	11130
C/n / msn:	02348205
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Substantial
Location:	Yakutsk Airport (YKS/UEEE) -    Russia
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Yakutsk Airport (YKS/UEEE)
Destination airport:	Krasnoyarsk Airport (KJA/UNKL)

Narrative:
The An-12B suffered a partial failure of the rear cargo door during takeoff from Yakutsk Airport, Russia. Part of the cargo, consisting of gold concentrate ingots, fell onto the runway and the departure path, up to 26 km from the airport.

A total of 172 ingots of gold, weighing 20 kg each, were collected from the runway.