The accident occurred while Novorossiysk was still conducting trials before its September 1982 commissioning, so it belongs to the early development of the ship's aviation system as well as the helicopter's safety record. A KA-27 landed hard, its undercarriage collapsed, and the aircraft tipped until the rotor blades struck an aluminium flight-deck duty station. The sailor inside was killed, although much of the helicopter remained salvageable. Set against nearly 300 aircraft produced for demanding service, the loss cautions against treating either one accident or a reputation for ruggedness as the whole safety record.
Notable Point · 30:12-31:45
A Novorossiysk hard landing exposes early carrier-air risks
A fatal 1982 landing accident aboard the still-testing Novorossiysk separates airframe ruggedness from the hazards of a new shipboard aviation system.