Date & Time:
Oct 10, 1971 at 2017 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-104
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42490
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow - Simferopol
MSN:
0 2 16 03
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
SU773
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
18
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, while climbing by night, the airplane entered a right turn, lost height, banked right 90° then struck power cables and crashed in a field located 10 km south of the airport. The airplane was totally destroyed by impact forces and all 25 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that an explosive device composed by 400 to 800 grams of trinitrotoluene (TNT) exploded approximately 7 to 15 seconds after rotation. The bomb was apparently placed in a hand baggage placed on the cabin floor, maybe under the seat number 45. The detonation ruptured the cabin floor, the left root and the control cables were cut and inoperative. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and lost several pieces at an altitude of 200 meters before striking the ground. Despite extensive investigations that will end in 1973, the Soviet authorities wont be able to identify the author of this act of sabotage.
