Region
Asia

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B near Chita: 81 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1973 at 0938 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-104
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42411
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow – Chelyabinsk – Novosibirsk – Irkutsk – Chita
MSN:
8 2 03 03
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
SU109
Location:
Chita
Zabaykalsky Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
72
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
81
Aircraft flight hours:
19329
Aircraft flight cycles:
8841
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude on the leg from Irkutsk to Chita, a hijacker went into the cockpit and ordered the crew to fly to China. Negotiations between the crew and the hijacker were unfruitful and after few minutes, a member of the militia shot the hijacker. Before dying, the hijacker was able to fire a system connected to several grenades attached to his belt. A huge detonation occurred in the cabin, causing the aircraft to disintegrate in the air. From an altitude of 6,500 meters, the airplane entered a dive and crashed in the taiga about 97 km west of Chita. Debris were found on a wide area and none of the 81 occupants survived the crash. Soviet Authorities later reported that the hijacker was a mental imbalance and explained his gesture by their recent refusal to grant him a job position within the diplomatic corps.
Probable cause:
Explosion of a 'bomb' after being hijacked.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Vologda

Date & Time: May 14, 1973
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70569
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G127-37
YOM:
1971
Location:
Vologda
Vologda oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Vologda. There were no casualties. It is reported that the total weight of the aircraft was above the MTOW at the time of the accident.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Kursk

Date & Time: May 11, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-05915
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
6 004 09
YOM:
1966
Location:
Kursk
Kursk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The engine failed in flight, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154 in Moscow

Date & Time: May 7, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-154
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-85030
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow - Moscow
MSN:
72A030
YOM:
1972
Location:
Moscow-Vnukovo
Moscow oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Vnukovo Airport. Following four successful touch-and-go manoeuvres, the crew took off again. Just after liftoff, while at a height of 20 meters, the aircraft suffered severe vibrations and went unstable. Shortly later, while climbing to a height of 70 meters, both engines n°1 & 3 lost power simultaneously. The captain decided to make an emergency landing when the aircraft struck tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area. All four occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It appears that a technical problem occurred with the slats which deployed in an inappropriate angle after rotation. Nevertheless, the cause of the power loss on two engine remains unknown.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Russia: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Russia
All Russia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training mission somewhere in Russia. On final approach, the airplane descended below the glide, struck power cables and crashed in flames. All six crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was caused by a wrong altimeter setting. A difference of 100 meters was reported.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Leningrad: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1973 at 1506 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-104
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42505
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leningrad – Moscow
MSN:
0 2 19 03
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
SU2420
Location:
Leningrad-Shosseynaya
Leningrad oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
51
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
17095
Aircraft flight cycles:
10698
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Leningrad-Shosseinaya Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 7,800 meters, a stewardess informed the cockpit crew about a passenger who wanted to fly to Stockholm and was carrying a pistol and a hand grenade. After entering the cockpit, the hijacker stand by the flight engineer. The crew returned to Leningrad-Shosseinaya and on final approach, while at a height of 120-140 meters, the captain asked the copilot to lower the gear. When the hijacker realized they were flying back to Leningrad, he unpin the grenade that exploded in the cockpit, causing a huge hole in the fuselage. The hijacker and the flight engineer were killed while both pilots were slightly injured. 30 seconds later, the pilots were able to land the airplane at a speed of 310 km/h. After touchdown, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid for several dozen meters before coming to a halt. All 55 other occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was not repaired.
Probable cause:
Hijacked after takeoff and severely damaged by the explosion of a grenade and the failure of the nose gear after landing.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Ozernaya: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1973 at 1329 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-05670
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ozernaya – Ust-Bolcheretsk
MSN:
1 56 473 09
YOM:
1955
Location:
Ozernaya
Kamchatka Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
10581
Aircraft flight cycles:
6600
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Ozernaya while on a cargo flight to Ust-Bolsheretsk, the intoxicated captain deliberately deviated from the prescribed flight path. The aircraft entered clouds and crashed at a height of 350 meters into the snow covered northern slope of Mt Ukho located 9 km north of Ozernaya. A pilot and the passenger were killed while the sole survivor was seriously injured. At the time of the accident, the captain was intoxicated. A blood test revealed an alcohol level of 1.8 ‰.
Probable cause:
Pilot intoxicated.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M on Jokhov Island

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-04192
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
7 34 34 07
YOM:
1957
Location:
Jokhov Island
Arkhangelsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful survey flight over the region of the Jokhov Island, the crew landed on the island when the airplane exploded, caught and came to rest in flames. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that an electric box caught fire in the cargo compartment and fuel drums later exploded.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Lake Khattavtur: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1973 at 1325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-01262
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Yelushkino – Kondinskoye
MSN:
1 71 473 16
YOM:
1957
Location:
Kondinskoye
Khantia-Mansia okrug
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
12736
Circumstances:
After eight workers have been dropped off in Yelushkino, the crew was returning to Kondinskoye with one passenger, the Director of Kondinskoye Airport. En route, the crew initiated hazardous manoeuvres and lost control of the airplane that nosed down to an angle of 90° and crashed in a snow covered field located southeast of Lake Khattavtur, about 57 km west of Kondinskoye. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed. Blood analysis revealed an alcohol level of 0,8‰ with the copilot and 3,4‰ with the captain.
Probable cause:
Loss of control while the crew was intoxicated.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Smolensk

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1973
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70816
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G133-19
YOM:
1972
Location:
Smolensk
Smolensk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the engine failed. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a field near Smolensk. There were no casualties while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
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