The Yakovlev Yak-42 (russian: Яковлев Як-42;

NATO reporting name NATO reporting names are code names for military equipment from Russia, China, and historically, the Eastern Bloc (Soviet Union and other nations of the Warsaw Pact). They provide unambiguous and easily understood English words in a uniform man ...

: "Clobber") is a 100/120-seat three-engined mid-range passenger jet developed in the mid 1970s to replace the technically obsolete

Tupolev Tu-134 The Tupolev Tu-134 (NATO reporting name: Crusty) is a twin-engined, narrow-body jet airliner built in the Soviet Union for short and medium-haul routes from 1966 to 1989. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain ot ...

. It was the first airliner produced in the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

to be powered by modern high-bypass

turbofan The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which ac ...

engines.Gunston, 1997

Development

In 1972, the

Yakovlev The JSC A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau (russian: ОАО Опытно-конструкторское бюро им. А.С. Яковлева) is a Russian aircraft designer and manufacturer (design office prefix Yak). Its head office is in Aeroport ...

design bureau OKB is a transliteration of the Russian initials of "" – , meaning 'experiment and design bureau'. During the Soviet era, OKBs were closed institutions working on design and prototyping of advanced technology, usually for military application ...

started work on a short- to medium-range airliner capable of carrying 100–120 passengers. It was intended to be a replacement for the

jet as well as the

Ilyushin Il-18 The Ilyushin Il-18 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-18; NATO reporting name: Coot) is a large turboprop airliner that first flew in 1957 and became one of the best known and most durable Soviet aircraft of its era. The Il-18 was one of the world ...

Antonov An-24 The Antonov An-24 (Russian/Ukrainian: Антонов Ан-24) ( NATO reporting name: Coke) is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport/passenger aircraft designed in 1957 in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau and manufactured by Kyiv, Ir ...

and

An-26 The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a twin-engined turboprop civilian and military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the Soviet Union from 1969 to 1986.Gordon, Yefim. Komissarov, Dmitry & Sergey. "Antonov's Turboprop Twin ...

turboprop airliners. While the new airliner was required to operate out of relatively small airfields while maintaining good economy, as many Soviet airports had been upgraded to accommodate more advanced aircraft, it did not have to have the same ability to operate from grass strips as Yakovlev's smaller

Yak-40 The Yakovlev Yak-40 (russian: Яковлев Як-40; NATO reporting name: Codling) is a regional jet designed by Yakovlev. The trijet's maiden flight was in 1966, and it was in production from 1967 to 1981. Introduced in September 1968, the Yak ...

. The requirement resulted in the largest, heaviest and most powerful aircraft designed by Yakovlev,Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 311.Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 194. until the even larger

MC-21 The Irkut MC-21 (russian: Иркут МС-21) is a single-aisle airliner, developed in Russia by the Yakovlev Design Bureau and produced by its parent Irkut, a branch of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), itself a 92%-owned subsidiary of ...

took flight in 2017. Initial design proposals included a straight-wing airliner powered by two

Soloviev D-30 The Soloviev D-30 (now the Aviadvigatel PS-30) is a Soviet two-shaft low-bypass turbofan engine, officially referred to as a "bypass turbojet". It is probably the single most important turbofan engine developed in the Soviet Union. Development o ...

s and resembling an enlarged Yak-40, but this was rejected as it was considered uncompetitive compared to Western airliners powered by high

bypass ratio The bypass ratio (BPR) of a turbofan engine is the ratio between the mass flow rate of the bypass stream to the mass flow rate entering the core. A 10:1 bypass ratio, for example, means that 10 kg of air passes through the bypass duct for ev ...

turbofans. Yakovlev settled on a design powered by three of the new Lotarev D-36 three-shaft high-bypass turbofans, which were to provide 63.90 kN (14,330 lbf) of thrust. Unlike the Yak-40, the new airliner would have swept wings.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 311–312. The first of three prototypes, which was fitted with an 11-degree wing and registered ''SSSR-1974'', made its maiden flight on 7 March 1975. It was followed by the second prototype, (''SSSR-1975'') with the 23-degree wing and a cabin with 20 rows of windows instead of 17 in the first prototype, and a third prototype (''SSSR-1976'') fitted with improved de-icing gear.Gunston and Gordon pp. 196–197.

Design

The Yak-42 is a low-winged

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...

of all-metal construction, with a design lifespan of 30,000 one-hour flights. It has a pressurised fuselage of circular section, with the cabin designed to carry 120 passengers in six-abreast layout (or 100 passengers for local services with greater space allocated to carry-on luggage and coat stowage). The aircraft is flown by a flight crew of two pilots sitting side by side in a flight deck forward of the cabin. Access is via two

airstair An airstair is a set of steps built into an aircraft so that passengers may board and alight the aircraft. The stairs are often built into a clamshell-style door on the aircraft. Airstairs eliminate the need for passengers to use a mobile st ...

s, one in the underside of the rear fuselage, like that of the Yak-40, and one forward of the cabin on the port side. Two holds are located under the cabin, carrying baggage, cargo and mail.Taylor 1982, p. 241. Yak-42D (5453983163)

All of the prototypes had main landing gear with two wheels each, with the first serial production aircraft, four main wheels were introduced. The wing layout underwent considerable revision during the design process, with the first prototype being built with a

wing sweep A swept wing is a wing that angles either backward or occasionally forward from its root rather than in a straight sideways direction. Swept wings have been flown since the pioneer days of aviation. Wing sweep at high speeds was first investigat ...

of 11 degrees and the second prototype with a sweep of 23 degrees. After evaluation, the greater sweep of the second prototype was chosen for production. Early aircraft had a clean wing leading edge with no control surfaces, and plain trailing edge flaps. This changed in later aircraft, which were fitted with

leading edge slats Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, ...

, with the trailing edge flaps slotted.Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 195.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 312–314. Two engines were mounted in pods on either side of the rear fuselage, with the third embedded inside the rear fuselage, fed with air via an "

S-duct An S-duct (or ''Serpentine shape, serpentine inlet'') is a type of jet engine intake duct used in several types of trijet aircraft. In this configuration, the intake is in the upper rear center of the aircraft, above or below the Vertical stabilize ...

" air inlet. An

auxiliary power unit An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115&n ...

(APU) is also fitted in the rear fuselage. No thrust reversers are fitted. The aircraft has a

T-tail A T-tail is an empennage configuration in which the tailplane is mounted to the top of the fin. The arrangement looks like the capital letter T, hence the name. The T-tail differs from the standard configuration in which the tailplane is ...

, with both the vertical fin and the horizontal surfaces swept.

Operational history

The first production aircraft was completed on 28 April 1978, with the first scheduled passenger flight, on the

Aeroflot PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...

Moscow-

Krasnodar Krasnodar (; rus, Краснода́р, p=krəsnɐˈdar; ady, Краснодар), formerly Yekaterinodar (until 1920), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city stands on the Kuban River in southern ...

route taking place on 22 December 1980. Production was at first slow, with only 10 flown by mid-1981. Initial aircraft were fitted for 120 seats in a three-plus-three arrangement. This was soon changed to a first class section with two-plus-two seating, and a main cabin with 96 seats, giving a total of 104 seats.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 314–315.Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 197. In its first year of operation Aeroflot's Yak-42s carried about 200,000 passengers, mainly on routes from Moscow, but also on international services from

Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...

and from

Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; uk, Донецьк, translit=Donets'k ; russian: Донецк ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin and Stalino (see also: Names of European cities in different languages (C–D), cities' alternat ...

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, with the type being planned to enter wider service throughout the Aeroflot fleet. On 28 June 1982, however, the

tailplane A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplane ...

detached from an Aeroflot Yak-42 in flight owing to a failure of the actuator

screw jack A jackscrew, or screw jack, is a type of jack that is operated by turning a leadscrew. It is commonly used to lift moderately and heavy weights, such as vehicles; to raise and lower the horizontal stabilizers of aircraft; and as adjustable sup ...

, causing the aircraft to fatally

crash Crash or CRASH may refer to: Common meanings * Collision, an impact between two or more objects * Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond * Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating * Couch su ...

near

Mazyr russian: Мозырь , nickname = , image_skyline = Mazyr Montage (2017).jpg , imagesize = 250px , image_flag = , image_shield = Coat of Arms of Mazyr, Belarus.svg , image_map = , map_caption ...

. The type was grounded as a result, not returning to service until October 1984.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 315. An export order for seven aircraft was announced in 1982 by Aviogenex of

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

, but the contract lapsed. The availability of the longer-range Yak-42D variant from 1991 onwards gave rise to a few more export sales, to Bosnia, China, Cuba, and Iran.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 316. As of 1 January 1995 a total of 185 Yak-42 had been produced, including 105 Yak-42Ds.Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 198.

Variants

;Yak-42: Original production version. Max. takeoff weight 54,000 kg (119,050 lb). ;Yak-42ML: Version with modified avionics for use on international use (''mezhdunarodnyye linii'' – international services). Entered service in July 1981 on the Leningrad-

route. ;Yak-42D: Long-range version (''Dahl'niy'' – long range) increased fuel. Replaced standard Yak-42 in production. ;Yak-142: Derivative of Yak-42D with updated, western

AlliedSignal AlliedSignal was an American aerospace, automotive and engineering company created through the 1985 merger of Allied Corp. and Signal Companies. It subsequently purchased Honeywell for $14.8 billion in 1999, and thereafter adopted the Honeywell n ...

avionics Avionics (a blend word, blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the Electronics, electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, Air navigation, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, ...

, spoilers to allow faster descent and enlarged cabin door to accommodate

jet bridge A jet bridge (also termed jetway, jetwalk, airgate, gangway, aerobridge/airbridge, skybridge, finger, airtube, expedited suspended passenger entry system (E-SPES), or its official industry name passenger boarding bridge (PBB)) is an enclosed, ...

. Also designated Yak-42A, Yak-42-100 and Yak-42D-100.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 317–318. ;Yak-42R: Yak-42 used as testbed for radar for

Yakovlev Yak-141 The Yakovlev Yak-141 (russian: Яковлев Як-141; NATO reporting name "Freestyle"), also known as the Yak-41, is a Soviet supersonic vertical takeoff/landing (VTOL) fighter aircraft designed by Yakovlev. It was used for testing. Design ...

fighter. ;Yak-42F: Conversion of a Yak-42 for geophysical survey and environmental monitoring. Fitted with large underwing pods containing electro-optical sensors.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 318. ;Yak-42LL: Conversion as testbed for Progress D-236

propfan A propfan, also called an open rotor engine, or unducted fan (as opposed to a ducted fan), is a type of aircraft engine related in concept to both the turboprop and turbofan, but distinct from both. The design is intended to offer the speed an ...

engine. Single D-236 (rated at 8,090 kW (10,850shp)) mounted in place of starboard engine, on special pylon to give sufficient clearance for 4.2 m (13 ft 9¾ in) propellers. First flew 15 March 1991. ;Yak-42M: A projected but unbuilt stretched airliner. Planned to be powered by three

Progress D-436 The Progress D-436 is a Turbofan#Three-spool, three-shaft high by-pass turbofan, turbofan engine developed by the Ukrainian company Ivchenko-Progress, and manufactured by Motor Sich in Ukraine. It was initially developed to meet the requirements ...

turbofans, a stretched fuselage and new wings. Design developed into Yak-242.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 319–320. ;Yak-242: Further developed Yak-42M, with two underwing Aviadvigatel PS-90 turbofans. Design evolved into

Irkut MC-21 The Irkut MC-21 (russian: Иркут МС-21) is a single-aisle airliner, developed in Russia by the Yakovlev Design Bureau and produced by its parent Irkut, a branch of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), itself a 92%-owned subsidiary o ...

.Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 320–321.

Operators

As of July 2019, 22 Yak-42s remained in commercial airline service. Operators are Izhavia (8),

KrasAvia KrasAvia is a scheduled and charter passenger airline based in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. It was established in 1956 as Turin Airline before being renamed Evenkia Avia in 2002 and KrasAvia in 2007. It is Russia's largest regional carrier, with a flee ...

(10) and

Turukhan Airlines LLC Turukhan Airlines (russian: ООО Авиакомпания "Турухан") is an airline based in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. History Established in 1997 as subsidiary of "Yeniseyskij Meridian" airlines, it became independent in 2001. It operat ...

(4).Thisdell and Seymour ''Flight International'' 30 July–5 August 2019, p. 47.

Accidents and incidents

As of 15 February 2018, nine fatal Yak-42 accidents have occurred with a total of 570 casualties. ;28 June 1982 :

Aeroflot Flight 8641 Aeroflot Flight 8641 was a Yakovlev Yak-42 airliner on a domestic scheduled passenger flight from Leningrad to Kyiv. On 28 June 1982, the flight crashed south of Mozyr, Belorussian SSR, killing all 132 people on board. The accident was both the ...

, a Yak-42 (CCCP-42529) lost control, entered a dive, broke up in mid-air and crashed near Verbovichi,

Naroulia District Naroulia Rajon or Naraulianski Rajon ( be, Нараўлянскі раён, russian: Наровлянский район) is an administrative subdivision, a rajon of Homiel Voblast, in Belarus. Its administrative seat is the town of Naroulia. ...

following a failure of the horizontal stabilizer jackscrew due to fatigue caused by design flaws, killing all 132 on board. All Yak-42s were grounded until the defect was rectified in October 1984. The accident remains the deadliest involving the Yak-42 as well as the deadliest in Belarus to date. ;September 1986 :An Aeroflot Yak-42 (CCCP-42536) was being used for security forces training when a thunderflash ignited the interior. The aircraft burned out, but there were no casualties. ;14 September 1990 :Aeroflot Flight 8175, a Yak-42 (CCCP-42351), struck trees and crashed short of the runway at

Koltsovo Airport Koltsovo International Airport (russian: Аэропорт Кольцово) is the international airport serving Yekaterinburg, Russia, located 16 km (10 mi) southeast of the city. Being the largest airport in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Kolts ...

after the pilot intentionally deviated from the approach pattern, killing four of 129 on board. ;31 July 1992 :

China General Aviation Flight 7552 China General Aviation Flight 7552 was a China General Aviation flight from Nanjing Dajiaochang Airport to Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport. On July 31, 1992, the Yakovlev Yak-42D overran runway 06 during takeoff and impacted an embankment at , ...

, a Yak-42D (B-2755), overran the runway on takeoff from

Nanjing Dajiaochang Airport Nanjing Dajiaochang Airport () was an airport for Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province and former capital of the Republic of China. It is located south of Xinjiekou, the center of Nanjing, and is surrounded on three sides by the Qinhuai Ri ...

after failing to lift off, killing 107 (or 108) of 126 on board. The horizontal stabilizer had been trimmed in the landing position. ;20 November 1993 :

Avioimpex Flight 110 Avioimpex Flight 110 was a scheduled international passenger flight operated by Avioimpex that crashed on 20 November 1993 while flying from Geneva to Skopje. Before the disaster, Flight 110 had deviated from Skopje International Airport to Oh ...

, a Yak-42D (RA-42390) leased from Saravia, struck the side of Mount Trojani (near Ohrid) due to pilot error, killing all 116 on board. Macedonian investigators blamed the accident on an inoperable VOR beacon and pilot error, while Russia claimed a misunderstanding from ATC because the controller spoke Macedonian while the crew used Russian and English in their transmissions. The accident remains the deadliest in North Macedonia. ;17 December 1997 :

Aerosvit Flight 241 Aerosvit Flight 241 (VV241/EW241) was a scheduled international passenger flight from the Ukrainian city of Odessa to Thessaloniki, Greece. On 17 December 1997, the Yakovlev Yak-42 operating the flight registered as UR-42334 flew into a moun ...

, a Yak-42 (UR-42334) leased from Lviv Airlines, struck the side of Mount Pente Pigadia in the

Pierian Mountains The Pierian Mountains (or commonly referred to as Piéria) are a mountain range between Imathia, Pieria and Kozani Region, south of the plain of Kambania in Central Macedonia, Greece. The village of Vergina, where the archaeological site of ...

due to pilot error and confusion in the cockpit, killing all 70 on board. ;25 December 1999 :

Cubana de Aviación Flight 310 Cubana de Aviación Flight 310 was a scheduled international flight from José Martí International Airport, Havana, Cuba, to Arturo Michelena International Airport, Valencia, Venezuela, which crashed near Bejuma, Venezuela, on 25 December 1999 ...

, a Yak-42D (CU-T1285), struck San Luis hill while on approach to

Bejuma Bejuma is a small town in Carabobo State, Venezuela, seat of the Bejuma Municipality. Geography Bejuma is located at 667 metres over sea level. Vegetation and natural resources The municipality of Bejuma lies in the Cordillera La Costa Mont ...

after the pilot radioed that he was descending to as part of the approach following a 40 minute hold, killing all 22 on board. ;26 May 2003 :

UM Airlines Flight 4230 Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines Flight 4230 was a chartered international Airliner, passenger flight, a Yakovlev Yak-42D operated by Ukraine, Ukrainian UM Airlines, which crashed in 2003. Flying from Manas International Airport, Bishkek, Kyrgy ...

, a Yak-42D (UR-42352) struck a mountain near

Maçka Maçka ( el, Ματζούκα, Matzoúka, the "club"; Laz: მაჩხა ''Maçxa'') is a town and district of Trabzon Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. The name derives from the medieval Greek '' Matzouka'', which was one of the pro ...

, Trabzon in poor visibility due to pilot error, killing all 75 on board. The aircraft was flying 62 Spanish soldiers, members of the

ISAF ' ps, کمک او همکاري ' , allies = Afghanistan , opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda , commander1 = , commander1_label = Commander , commander2 = , commander2_label = , commander3 = , command ...

mission operating in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

, back to Spain. ;7 September 2011 :

2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash On 7 September 2011, YAK-Service Flight 9633, a Yakovlev Yak-42 air charter, charter flight operated by Yak-Service, YAK-Service carrying players and coaching staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional ice hockey team, crashed on take-off nea ...

, a YAK-Service Yak-42D (RA-42434), stalled and crashed shortly after takeoff from

Tunoshna Airport Yaroslavl (Tunoshna) International Airport (Tunoshna - also Tunoshnoye, or Tunoschna) (russian: Международный аэропорт Ярославль (Ту́ношна)) is an airport in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located 18 km sout ...

due to pilot error; of the 45 on board, only the mechanic survived; 29 members of the KHL hockey team

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Hockey Club Lokomotiv (russian: ХК Локомотив, en, Locomotive HC), also known as Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, is a Russian professional ice hockey team, based in the city of Yaroslavl, playing in the top level Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) ...

were among the dead.

Specifications (Yak-42D)

References

"Aeroflot completes one year of Yak-42 operations"
''

Flight International ''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's oldes ...

'', 30 January 1982. p. 208.

* Gordon, Yefim, Dmitry Komissarov and Sergey Komissarov. ''OKB Yakovlev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft''. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2005. . * Bill Gunston, Gunston, Bill and Yefim Gordon. ''Yakovlev Aircraft since 1924''. London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1997. . * Taylor, Joihn W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. . * Taylor, Michael J. H. ''Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000''. London: Brassey's, 1999. . * Thisdell, Dan and Morris, Rob. "World Airliner Census". ''

'', Vol. 194, No. 5650, 21 August–3 September 2018. . pp. 24–47. * Thisdell, Dan and Seymour, Chris. "World Airliner Census". ''

'', Vol. 196, No. 5694, 30 July–5 August 2019. . pp. 24–47.

External links

Yakovlev design bureau official site
{{Use dmy dates, date=January 2014 1970s Soviet airliners Yak-042 Trijets T-tail aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1975 Low-wing aircraft