Date & Time:
Mar 28, 1969 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-98316
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Qal'ai Khumb – Tavildara – Dushanbe
MSN:
1102 473 14
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
SH84
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
9
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
8606
Aircraft flight cycles:
12069
Circumstances:
On the leg from Qal'ai Khumb to Tavildara of a flight from Qal'ai Khumb to Dushanbe, the crew encountered below-minima weather conditions (the summits were covered by clouds), deviated from the prescribed flight path to the west by 8 km and crashed into a snow-covered slope of the Darwaz Mountain range, some 9 km SSW of Sagirdasht (Gorny Badakhshan). Two of the 3 pilots (including a check pilot) and 9 of the 10 passengers were killed and both survivors were seriously injured. The wreckage was found 31MAR69 and both survivors were evacuated three days later, on 02APR69.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to continue in below-weather minima in violation of the published procedures. Poor support on part of the meteorological services and lack of ATC assistance were considered as contributing factors.
