Moscow oblast

While cruising at an altitude of 10,000 meters over the region of Voronezh, the airplane penetrated cumulonimbus area and suffered updrafts first. It climbed to 10,700 meters then encountered downdrafts and descended to 7,000 meters. The propellers on both engines number one and four were automatically feathered when new downdrafts were encountered. The airplane descended to the altitude of 2,800 meters when the crew was able to recover control of the airplane. The crew contacted ATC and obtained the permission to return to Vnukovo for an emergency landing. Following an uneventful landing, all 56 occupants (some of them injured) were evacuated and the aircraft was later declared as damaged beyond economical repair due to heavy damage to the structure. Also, it was reported that the chemical liquid stored in the toilet compartment leaked and contacted several electrical system, causing short-circuits. Several connectors were down as well as the VHF communication system.

The crew (five engineers and five test pilots) were engaged in a local test flight out from Moscow-Sheremetievo Airport. Few minutes after takeoff, the engine number two failed. As it was not possible to feather the propeller, the airplane lost height and speed. The crew decided to return to Sheremetievo Airport for an emergency landing but on final, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames 4 km short of runway threshold. The airplane was destroyed and all ten occupants were killed. The test flight was performed on behalf of AKDON – Aviatsionnaya Krasnoznamyonnaya Diviziya Osobogo Naznacheniya, a division of the Soviet Army.

The aircraft, with TAROM color scheme but operated by the Romanian Government, was performing a flight from Bucharest to Moscow-Vnukovo with an intermediate stop at Kiev, carrying a Romanian delegation. The approach to Vnukovo was completed by night and after he cleared the inner marker, the pilot established a visual contact with the runway lights and continued the approach. At this time, he was contacted by ATC who instructed him to maintain level as his altitude was insufficient. Shortly later, at a height of about 10 to 15 meters, the airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located 500 meters short of runway and 130 meters to the left of the extended centerline. Three crew members and one passenger, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gregore Preoteasa were killed while 12 other occupants were injured, among them the futur President Nicolae Ceaucescu.

The aircraft took off from Warsaw-Okecie Airport on a non-stop scheduled flight to Moscow, following the normal route of flight LO232. It carried 8 passengers, 5 crew and 819 kg of mail and cargo. The flight was routine as far as Klimentiewo, 75 km west of Vnukovo Airport, and communication between the aircraft and the relevant units of the Air Traffic Control service was established. During the flight leg between Wiazma and Klimentiewo the aircraft followed its route and lowered altitude as instructed by the air traffic controller in view of the bad weather conditions (storm) in that area. Over Klimentiewo the aircraft was at an altitude of 400 m, altimeter setting 737.4 mm Hg (current QFE at Vnukovo Airport); the pilot reported sighting the ground and was cleared by the air traffic controller to descend to 300 m and to head for Vnukovo Airport. At 2307LT, i. e. 5 minutes before the scheduled time of arrival at the aerodrome, the crew requested approach clearance. The air traffic controller had transferred control of the aircraft to the approach control service ; the latter, having established contact with the aircraft, gave the pilot the QAM and cleared him for approach in accordance with the instrument approach procedure prescribed for that aerodrome. Although the pilot acknowledged receipt of the approach clearance, according to established procedure, he failed to adhere to the prescribed procedure and descended to such a low altitude that the aircraft hit the ground. The aircraft was completely demolished. Five passengers and 4 crew members were killed and 3 passengers were seriously injured.

Shortly after takeoff from Bykovo Airport, while climbing to a height of 20-30 meters, the right engine failed. The aircraft lost height, collided with trees and eventually crashed onto a house located less than one km from the airfield. The airplane burst into flames and was totally destroyed as well as the house. All five crew members were killed while no one on the ground was injured. The owner of the house just left his house three minutes before the accident. The crew was completing a mail flight to Svedlovsk with an intermediate stop in Gorki, carrying a load of 1,989 kilos of mail and newspapers.

The crew was completing the 17th test flight on this prototype. In flight, an engine separated from its mount and fell off. The bomber went out of control and into a dive. Nine crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a field located in Noguinsk, about 50 km east of Moscow. Three crew members were killed.

The airplane left Moscow-Vnukovo at 1535LT for a local test flight, carrying eight crew members, pilots and engineers. After departure, the crew lost his orientation due to poor weather conditions. At this time, the ceiling was about 100 meters with an horizontal visibility estimated between 2 and 4 km. Despite the situation, the crew continued the flight and flew over the capital city for few hours, completing the test program. Weather conditions worsened during the flight, the visibility dropped to 400 meters with fog and rain. On a night approach to runway 24, the aircraft was misaligned and the pilot in command decided to make a go around. Few minutes later, while on a second approach to land, the aircraft was too low and hit trees located 1,275 meters short of runway 24, stalled and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were seriously injured. The captain, the copilot and the flight engineer died from their injuries few hours later.

The seaplane was carrying one passenger and five crew members who were completing a post maintenance test flight. The crew was attempting to land in the Khimki Reservoir located northwest of Moscow when the aircraft hit the water surface, nosed down and overturned. Two crew members were killed while three other occupants were injured. The passenger was unhurt and the aircraft sank and was lost.

The aircraft was parked at Khodynka and has to be transferred to Tbilisi by an Aeroflot crew from Georgia. Unfortunately, this crew arrived too late and another crew from the Uzbekistan Aeroflot Division took over the airplane for a transfer to Tashkent. After takeoff, the crew failed to announce the modification to ATC, cut the route and continued at an insufficient altitude when the aircraft collided with an Aeroflot Douglas TS-62 registered CCCP-L861. Carrying four passengers and four crew members, the TS-62 just took off from Moscow-Vnukovo Airport and was climbing out bound for Moscow-Bykovo Airport. Both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located 6 km southeast of the airport, in Valuevo. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.

The aircraft was performing a positioning flight from Vnukovo Airport to Bykovo, carrying a crew of four and four passengers who were also pilots taking the opportunity of this flight to position to Bykovo. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the TS-62 (Douglas C-47A-10-DK) collided with an Aeroflot Ilyushin II-12P registered CCCP-L1731. Its crew was performing a flight from Moscow to Tashkent via Lyubertsy. Both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located 6 km southeast of the airport, in Valuevo. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.