Alexander Timofeevich Ugryumov

**Alexander Timofeevich Ugryumov** (February 2nd, 1948 - October 8th, 1996) was a reserve colonel in the Russian air force, a Senior Inspector and an Air Force Combat Training Pilot.

## Biography

Alexander Timofeevich Ugryumov was born on February 2nd, 1948 in the village of Smolyanka, Vologda Oblast, Russia.

From 1966 to 1970 Ugryumov was a cadet of the Balashovsky VVAUL.

He flew on aircraft: L-29, An-24, An-12, An-22, An-124. Total flight time 5,350 hours.

Military Pilot 1st Class since 1975 Pilot 1st Class Civil Aviation since 1994

Served in: Artsyz, Odessa region, 37 vtap, 1970-1973, assistant commander of the ship, An-12, lieutenant, senior lieutenant, Artsyz, Odessa region, 37 vtap, 1973-1975, ship commander , An-12, senior lieutenant. Ivanovo, military unit 48231, 81st VTAP Ivanovo, 1975-1978, ship commander, detachment commander, deputy squadron commander, An-22, captain, major; urban settlement Monino, Moscow region, VVA im. Yu.A. Gagarina, 1978-1981, student, major; Settlement of Sescha, Bryansk Region, 566 Solnechnogorsk Red Banner vtap, Settlement of Sescha, Bryansk Region, 1981-1986, squadron commander, regimental chief of staff, commander of the An-22, An-124 regiment, lieutenant colonel, colonel; Moscow, military unit 25969, Moscow 1986-1995, senior inspector pilot of the combat training department of the Military Aviation Administration, An-124, colonel;

Since December 1995, Colonel of the Reserve, Chief Pilot of Aeroflot-Russian International Airlines.

One of the most experienced Russian pilots on the An-124 aircraft.

Business trips: East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Syria, Afghanistan, USA, Great Britain, France, Austria, New Zealand, Canada, UAE, Angola, Malta, India, China, Germany, etc.

Member of the fighting in Afghanistan in 1979-1980.

He died in a plane crash on 10/08/1996 in Turin as part of the crew of the An-124 aircraft.

The conclusions of the commission that investigated the plane crash:

*“Insufficient training and poor crew communication. Poor approach planning, missed go-around decision. Design flaws in the engine control system.*

He was buried in the cemetery of the village of Leonikha, Shchelkovsky district, Moscow region.

This story is dedicated to the memory of Alexander Timofeevich Ugryumov, an outstanding pilot, under whose leadership the personnel of the 566th military transport aviation regiment, for the first time, mastered the An-124 aircraft.

The accident occurred 20 years ago at the Turin airfield in Italy.

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We met Alexander Ugryumov in the military reception of the Balashov Higher Military Aviation Pilot School in 1966. He turned out to be my countryman from the Vologda region. A laconic, with a characteristic northern accent in conversation, a little shy boy from the rural outback, he decided to fulfill his dream of becoming a pilot. Excellent health and good knowledge helped him to pass the medical commission and successfully pass the entrance exams. As a result of the competition, he was enrolled as a cadet of the school.

Training weekdays purposefully brought everyone closer to the cherished goal - to fly.

Like all cadets, in the cadet environment, he had his own curiosities. So, when passing the test in Morse code, it was necessary to respond to the signals of the letters like this: "K" - Konstantin, "C" - Semyon, etc. At the signal of the letter "M", he hesitated and answered with what is always close in his soul: "MOM". The class responded with general laughter. This oversight was remembered for a long time, teasing with this name.

For four years of study at the school, aircraft were mastered: L-29, An-24, An-26.

In 1970, after state examinations, the graduates of the school were awarded the rank of "lieutenant". The road to the big sky was opened before the young pilots.

Alexander Ugryumov was assigned to the city of Artsyz, / near Odessa / in the 37th military transport regiment. A conscientious, modest lieutenant, in the position of assistant commander of the ship, quickly earned the respect and trust of the command. After 3 years, having completed the training program, he becomes the commander of the An-12 ship.

In 1975, for all regiments of the VTA, crews were selected for flights on the heaviest, at that time, An-22 Antey aircraft. For a native of the northern Vologda places, with his slowness in character and thoroughness in work, Alexander Ugryumov could, no doubt, be entrusted with flying such an aircraft. The personnel commission supported the report on sending him for retraining on a new aircraft.

      Captain Ugryumov becomes the commander of the An-22 ship in Ivanovo. Successful service quickly advances a pilot's career. Three years later, he is already deputy squadron commander, major. On the recommendation of the command, he is sent for admission to the academy.

Since 1978 - a student of the Air Force Academy. Yu.A. Gagarin. After its completion, the next stage of service in the 566th military transport regiment / p. Seshcha/.

At this time, the regiment began retraining for a new type of aircraft An-124. One of the first who mastered flying this aircraft was Alexander Ugryumov. Under the leadership of the regiment commander, Colonel A. Ugryumov, the regiment's personnel underwent retraining and mastering the new aircraft.

    In 1986, he was promoted to the position of senior inspector - pilot of the combat training department of the VTA / g. Moscow/. In this position, under his control, all flights were carried out by the BTA crews, on the An-124 aircraft.

During the period of service, Colonel A. Ugryumov was awarded the orders of:

- the Red Banner of War;

-For service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the 3rd and 2nd degree,

  numerous medals of the USSR and other countries.

   The collapse of the Soviet Union forced many aviators to leave the Armed Forces.

An experienced pilot, best prepared for flying on an An-124 aircraft, was willingly accepted by the management of Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines.

  Since 1995, A. Ugryumov, as the chief pilot of the company, continues to fly around the world. Where there was a need for the largest aircraft, Alexander Ugryumov was at the helm of this liner.

Further, from the published official statements:

     “The length of the runway at Caselle Airport is 3300 meters, but part of it, 950 meters long, was under repair, as reported in the Jeppesen International Aeronautical Information Collection. As it turned out later, the crew did not receive this information during takeoff, but found out only after getting in touch with the airport dispatcher. At the same time, it turned out that the glide path beacon of the ILS system was disabled.

At the time of landing, it was raining lightly, the visibility on the runway was 1500 meters, the lower edge of the clouds was 300 meters. The landing weight of the aircraft is 211 tons.

An analysis of the records of the on-board recorder of flight parameters showed that

the aircraft crossed the transferred runway threshold at a height of 36 meters, which is 20 meters higher than the recommended landing for instruments.

Trying to land within the available length of the runway, the commander removed the throttles to "zero" and put the reverse handle in its original position, which is a violation of the Flight Manual recommendations.

Having flown more than 1000 meters (an aircraft without cargo is light!) and without touching the runway, the commander, at the insistence of A. Ugryumov, decided to go around. An attempt to increase the power of the engines was not consistent with the go-around technology, and three engines remained at flight idle. Only engine number 3 was put into takeoff mode. The available thrust was not enough to climb, and, having flown 1500 meters beyond the runway, losing speed, the aircraft caught on the landing gear on the roof of a two-story house and hit the ground. When moving on the ground, he destroyed two houses and stopped, hitting the wall of a large barn.

There were 23 people on board the An-124.

Two pilots, in the recent past, military pilots - A.T. Ugryumov (was in the right seat) and O.I. Allowances (standing between the seats of the pilots) died. Commander A.S. Borodai and flight engineer P.F. Mazurenko was seriously injured. Fifteen people were injured. Two Italian citizens were killed on the ground."

Here, so, the characters and psychologies of two people were unsuccessfully formed. PIC Borodai was previously a member of a group of test pilots who were trained under the Buran space shuttle program. This program provided for the landing of the spacecraft in any adverse conditions. The psychology of this pilot was sharpened only for landing. (The shuttle did not provide for the "go-around" option).

The psychology of the most experienced pilot Ugryumov A. (on the right seat), apparently, was influenced by the authority of the test pilot. He pressured the co-pilot to take decisive action. The belated decision to go around led to disaster.

   20 years ago, the life of a wonderful man, an excellent pilot, a graduate of the Balashov Higher Military Aviation School / 1970 / Colonel Alexander Timofeevich Ugryumov, was cut short.

  The memory of this wonderful commander, excellent pilot and friend is kept by many aviators who knew this man.

## Death

In October 1996, Aeroflot airline received an application for the transportation of 50 Italian cars commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei. On October 8, the plane took off from Moscow to Turin. This flight was used to allow experienced pilot A.S. to fly the An-124. Borodai. He was part of a group of test pilots under the space shuttle program. He did not have sufficient experience in flying the An-124 heavy aircraft. A. Ugryumov was on the right seat, as a co-pilot.

On October 8th 1996

## Awards

Cavalier of the Order of the Red Banner, "For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces"

Awarded with the Orders of the Red Banner in 1978, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces" II degree in 1989, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces" III degree in 1985.