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
Schedule:
Leningrad – Moscow
MSN:
0 2 19 03
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
SU2420
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
51
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
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.
