Date & Time:
Jan 28, 1970 at 2053 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-47701
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Chokurdakh - Batagay
MSN:
59900202
YOM:
1965
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
30
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
34
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight, the crew was cleared to descent to 2,700 meters and received all information related to the destination airport. Shortly later, the crew informed ATC about their ETA in eight minutes. As the pilot has the runway in sight, he was cleared to descend to 600 meters. While cruising at an altitude of 1,020 meters at a speed of 350 km/h in a 7° nose-down attitude and a 3° left bank, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (1,081 meters high) located 40 km from the airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 34 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the ground collision was the consequence of a premature descent on part of the pilot-in-command who continued the approach below the minimum safe altitude. The lack of visibility caused by night and the lack of assistance on part of ATC were considered as contributing factors.
