View source for Kazakhstan Airlines

{{distinguish|Air Kazakhstan}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2009}}

{{Infobox Airline |
airline=Kazakhstan Airlines|
logo=|
logo_size=|
fleet_size=|
destinations=|
IATA=K4|
ICAO=KZA<br>SAX|
callsign=KAZAKH|
founded= 1992|
ceased=1996|
headquarters=[[Almaty]], [[Kazakhstan]]|
key_people=|
bases=[[Almaty International Airport]]|
website=|
}}

'''Kazakhstan Airlines''' was an airline from [[Kazakhstan]], serving as national [[flag carrier]] of the country from its independence in 1991 until 1996, when this role was transferred to [[Air Kazakhstan]] following the disaster of [[Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision|Flight 1907]].

==History==
[[File:Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76TD Goetting-1.jpg|thumb|right|A Kazakhstan Airlines [[Ilyushin Il-76]] in 1994.  This aircraft was later destroyed in the [[Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision]].]]
[[File:Kazakhstan Airlines Boeing 747SP Maiwald.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Boeing 747SP]] of Kazakhstan Airlines approaching [[Frankfurt Airport]] (1994).]]
The [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union]] in 1991 also affected its state-owned airline, [[Aeroflot]]. The Kazakh division (which can be traced back to the mid-1920s) was transformed into Kazakhstan Airlines, with scheduled flights from its base at [[Almaty International Airport]] being launched in 1992. It inherited a fleet of the following aircraft types:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aerotransport.org/|title=AeroTransport Data Bank|work=aerotransport.org|accessdate=9 February 2015}}</ref>
*[[Antonov An-24]], [[Antonov An-26|An-26]] and [[Antonov An-30|An-30]]
*[[Ilyushin Il-18]], [[Ilyushin Il-76|Il-76]] and [[Ilyushin Il-86|Il-86]]
*[[Tupolev Tu-134]] and [[Tupolev Tu-154|Tu-154]]
*[[Yakovlev Yak-40]] and [[Yakovlev Yak-42|Yak-42]]

In February 1994, a single Western built airliner was put into service: a [[Boeing 747SP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.planespotters.net/Production_List/Boeing/747/21962,UN-001-Kazakhstan-Airlines.php|title=P4-AFE Air Finance Ltd Boeing 747SP - cn 21962 / ln 439|work=planespotters.net|accessdate=9 February 2015}}</ref>

==Accidents and incidents==
Kazakhstan Airlines was involved in the [[Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision]], which occurred on 12 November 1996 and—with its 349 fatalities—marks one of the deadliest air disasters in history. A Kazakhstan Airlines [[Ilyushin Il-76]], operating as Flight 1907, collided with a [[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-100]] of [[Saudi Arabian Airlines]]. Investigation into the accident revealed that the pilots of Flight 1907 had descended from their assigned altitude, which was attributed to poor training and non-sufficient English language skills. As a consequence, the government of Kazakhstan declared that Kazakhstan Airlines was bankrupt, transferring its assets to newly founded [[Air Kazakhstan]].

There were another four accidents resulting in an aircraft of Kazakhstan Airlines being written-off, none of which resulted in any reported fatalities:
[[File:Kazakhstan Airlines Tupolev Tu-154M Wallner.jpg|thumb|right|A Kazakhstan Airlines [[Tupolev Tu-154]] at [[Zurich Airport]] (1994).]]
*On 16 January 1993, an [[Antonov An-24]] ([[aircraft registration|registered]] UN-46478) with nineteen passengers and four crew crash-landed at [[Kostanay Airport]]. During approach of the airport, the left wing engine failed. The pilots did not manage to properly align the aircraft with the runway and failed to execute a [[go-around]], resulting in the aircraft hitting the ground 162 meters short of the runway threshold.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19930116-1|title=ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 24RV 46478 Kostanay|author=Harro Ranter|date=16 January 1993|work=aviation-safety.net|accessdate=9 February 2015}}</ref>
*On 21 January 1995, a [[Tupolev Tu-154]] (registered UN-85455) overshot the runway during a take-off attempt at [[Jinnah International Airport|Karachi International Airport]]. There were 105 passengers and five crew members on board, and the aircraft had an overload of six tons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950121-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev 154B-2 UN-85455 Karachi International Airport (KHI)|author=Harro Ranter|date=21 January 1995|work=aviation-safety.net|accessdate=9 February 2015}}</ref>
*A few months later, on 13 April 1995, a [[Yakovlev Yak-40]] (registered UN-88181) veered off the runway at [[Taraz Airport]] during a [[crosswind landing]]. The aircraft with 28 passengers and 3 crew on board struck a concrete barrier.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950413-1|title=ASN Aircraft accident Yakovlev 40K UN-88181 Dzhambul Airport (DMB)|author=Harro Ranter|date=13 April 1995|work=aviation-safety.net|accessdate=9 February 2015}}</ref>
*Still in 1995, on 1 November, an [[Antonov An-24]] (registered UN-47710) crash landed on a field 1100 meters short of the runway threshold of [[Shymkent International Airport|Shymkent Airport]] in a failed landing attempt. The aircraft had been on a training flight with four crew on board.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19951101-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 24B UN-47710 Shymkent|author=Harro Ranter|date=1 November 1995|work=aviation-safety.net|accessdate=9 February 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{commons category|Kazakhstan Airlines}}
{{Portalbar|Kazakhstan|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Kazakhstan}}

[[Category:Defunct airlines of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1992]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 1996]]
[[Category:Former IATA members]]
[[Category:Kazakhstan Airlines]]
[[Category:1992 establishments in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Former Aeroflot divisions]]