A single misplaced foot caused the death of an entire hockey dynasty

Cultures · Published 11 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2011, a Yakovlev Yak-42 carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl roster crashed during takeoff. While the investigation revealed falsified pilot documents and poor training, the immediate catalyst was a mechanical error: a pilot’s foot accidentally applied the wheel brakes, preventing the aircraft from lifting off.

The tragedy occurred on 7 September 2011, at Tunoshna Airport in Russia. The aircraft, a Yakovlev Yak-42D (registration RA-42434), was attempting to fly the team to Minsk, Belarus, for the start of the 2011–12 KHL season. As the plane accelerated to approximately 230 km/h, it failed to lift off, overrunning the runway by 400 metres before striking an antenna mast and crashing into the banks of the Volga river. The weather at the time was clear with good visibility and a temperature of 18 °C. The aircraft had entered the runway 300 metres from the threshold.

The investigation by the Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) uncovered a cascade of human failures. Beyond the inadvertent application of wheel braking due to improper foot placement on the pedals, the crew lacked the necessary training for the Yak-42. Additionally, investigators discovered the aviator had employed forged paperwork to secure authorisation for the flight. While the engines were functioning until impact and the fuel met safety requirements, the incorrect calculation of takeoff speed and the physical error on the pedals proved fatal. The airline, YAK-Service, had previously faced scrutiny from the European Commission regarding air safety. By May 2010, the Russian Ministry of Transport had even restricted the carrier from flying within certain European airspace.

The impact was devastating: 45 people were on board, and all but one survived the initial crash. The sole survivor was the aircraft's mechanic, Alexander Sizov. One player, Alexander Galimov, survived the impact but died five days later. The loss of the roster, which included former NHL stars like Ruslan Saleable and Kārlis Skrastiņš, devastated the international hockey community, leading to retired jerseys and memorial patches across the NHL and European leagues. The tragedy prompted President Dmitry Medvedev to order the grounding of unsafe airlines. In the aftermath, the club decided to skip the 2011–12 KHL season, opting instead to compete in the Russian Major League.

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