Date & Time:
Oct 19, 1964 at 1135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75668
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Moscow – Belgrade
MSN:
183 0057 04
YOM:
1963
Country:
Serbia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
11
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
22
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
33
Circumstances:
While descending to Belgrade-Surcin Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. On final, ATC informed the pilot his altitude was insufficient and that he was approaching below the glide. In foggy conditions, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located on the slope of Mt Avala (520 meters high) located about 20 km from the runway 30 threshold. The wreckage was found about 35 meters below the summit and all 33 occupants were killed. Among the victims were Marshall Sergei S. Biryuzov and General Vladimir I. Zhdanov accompanied by 15 WWII Veterans who were flying to Belgrade to take part to the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the offensive of the city of Belgrade by the Soviet Army on 20 October 1944. Following the accident, all celebrations were cancelled.
Probable cause:
The crew continued the approach at an insufficient altitude, maybe due to an altimeter misreading or malfunction. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to fog and the weather conditions were poor due to rain falls and cross winds up to 25 knots.
