Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Udokan Plateau: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1969 at 1152 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-09168
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tynda – Ust'-Nyukzha – Chara
MSN:
1G20-11
YOM:
14
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
6079
Circumstances:
The crew encountered below-minima weather conditions with low clouds and rain while flying along the valley of the river Khani. The aircraft crashed at a height of some 1,800 metres into a mountain (1,860 metres) located in the Udokan Plateau, Zabaykalsky kray. The wreckage was found 11 days later, on July 16. All four crew were killed.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M near Magadan: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1969 at 1247 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-91527
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Magadan - Seymchan - Pevek
MSN:
7 34 31 04
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
18872
Aircraft flight cycles:
9299
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Magadan Airport, while climbing, a fire erupted in the cabin and smoke spread in the entire cabin and cockpit. The captain reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing in the Khasyn River Valley located about 10 km north of the Magadan Airport. Due to smoke, the pilot lost consciousness and the aircraft struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area eight minutes after takeoff. Two crew members, the copilot and the radio operator, were rescued while three others were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that an electrical short-circuit occurred on a power supply unit of the radio transmitter, causing a major fire that could not be extinguished by the crew.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12TB in Mirny

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-11380
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4 026 10
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown at Mirny Airport, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the right and came to rest. All six crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged repair.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP near Yukhnov: 96 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1969 at 1452 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-08525
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kėdainiai - Ryazan
MSN:
4 025 03
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
91
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
96
Aircraft flight hours:
1218
Aircraft flight cycles:
1013
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Kėdainiai to Ryazan with 91 soldiers and a crew of 5 returning to their base. The aircraft was in the third position of a three-aircraft formation. In the same region was cruising an Aeroflot Ilyushin II-14M registered CCCP-52018. En route from Moscow-Bykovo to Simferopol, Ukraine, via Chernigov and Kirovograd, this second aircraft was carrying 19 passengers and a crew of 5. En route, the crew of the II-14 encountered turbulences while cruising in poor weather conditions. He requested to ATC the permission to modify his altitude but this was denied due to heavy traffic. Despite he was uncleared, the captain started to climb in marginal weather conditions. Shortly later, at a height of 2,950 meters, the II-14M collided with the Soviet Air Force AN-12BP. The collision occurred when the top of the tail of the AN-12 struck the base of the fuselage of the II-14. Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field, 800 meters from each other. All 120 occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the captain of the civil aircraft (II-14) neglected elemental navigation rules in starting a descent while this was denied and refused by ATC due to heavy traffic.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M near Yukhnov: 24 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1969 at 1452 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-52018
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow-Bykovo – Chernigov – Kirovograd – Simferopol
MSN:
7 34 32 08
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
SU831
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Aircraft flight hours:
24653
Circumstances:
The crew was performing flight SU831 from Moscow-Bykovo to Simferopol with intermediate stops in Chernigov and Kirovograd. En route, he encountered turbulence while cruising in poor weather conditions. While cruising at an altitude of 2,700 meters, the crew requested to ATC the permission to modify his altitude but this was denied due to heavy traffic. Despite he was uncleared, the captain started to climb in marginal weather conditions. Shortly later, at a height of 2,950 meters, the II-14M collided with a Soviet Air Force AN-12BP registered CCCP-08525. En route from Kedainiai (Lithuania) to Ryazan, this aircraft was carrying 91 soldiers and a crew of 5 back to their base, and was the third AN-12 of a formation of three. The collision occurred when the top of the tail of the AN-12 struck the base of the fuselage of the II-14. Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field, 800 meters from each other. All 120 occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the captain of the civil aircraft (II-14) neglected elemental navigation rules while starting to climb while this was denied and refused by ATC due to traffic.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 at Pskov AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pskov - Pskov
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Pskov AFB. On final approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility. The captain decided to make a go around when the airplane collided with a second Soviet AF AN-12 that was approaching the same airport. Both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all 14 crew members on both aircraft. The exact circumstances of the collision remains unclear as well as the possible responsibility of ATC.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 at Pskov AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pskov - Pskov
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Pskov AFB. On final approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility. The captain decided to make a go around when the airplane collided with a second Soviet AF AN-12 that was approaching the same airport. Both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all 14 crew members on both aircraft. The exact circumstances of the collision remains unclear as well as the possible responsibility of ATC.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Novotitarovka: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1969 at 0755 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-32607
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Novotitarovka - Novotitarovka
MSN:
1 63 473 03
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
6274
Circumstances:
On an unauthorized flight during crop-spraying operations for the Kolkhoz (collective farm) im. Kalinina at Novotitarovka (Dinskaya district of the Krasnodar region), the pilot performed unauthorized manoeuvres at low height. The aircraft touched a 7 metres high tree at Novotitarovka, collided with more trees and the mast of a powerline, damaged a house then crashed in a garden and caught fire. The pilot and the sole passenger were killed.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-104B in Irkutsk

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42436
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9 2 08 03
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Irkutsk-Intl Airport, the airplane crash landed 600 meters short of runway threshold and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Staroshcherbinovskaya: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1969 at 1203 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-13667
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Staroshcherbinovskaya - Staroshcherbinovskaya
MSN:
112 473..
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
9205
Circumstances:
During a crop-spraying flight on behalf of the sovkhoz (state farm) 'Severny' located in the village of Staroshcherbinovskaya, the pilot completed a steep turn at low height when control was lost. The aircraft crashed and was destroyed, killing all three occupants, among them two unauthorized passengers.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot was intoxicated with 1,7‰ of alcohol in blood.