B-608
1972-MAY-04 · Near Bratsk, Irkutsk Oblast, USSR

Aeroflot — Flight B-608

On May 4, 1972, Aeroflot Flight 608, a Yakovlev Yak-40, crashed during its final approach to Bratsk Airport. The aircraft encountered a severe microburst and intense downdrafts associated with a cold front, causing it to lose altitude rapidly and strike trees 1.25 km from the runway. All 18 people on board were killed.

Aircraft
Yakovlev Yak-40
Registration
CCCP-87778
Phase
Cause
Souls on Board
18
Fatalities
18
Origin → Dest
Irkutsk Airport (IKT) → Bratsk Airport (BTK)
Report

Investigation Summary

Flight B-608 was a scheduled domestic flight from Irkutsk to Bratsk. As the Yakovlev Yak-40 approached Bratsk, the region was experiencing turbulent weather conditions caused by the passage of a vigorous cold front. The encounter with intense downward air currents began approximately 9 kilometers from the runway. These atmospheric conditions led to a rapid, uncontrolled descent that the crew could not arrest. The aircraft impacted the ground in a wooded area 1,250 meters from the runway threshold, broke apart, and caught fire.

Final Conclusions

The investigation concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the encounter with intense downdrafts and significant wind shear during the final approach. These meteorological phenomena were localized and associated with a passing cold front, exceeding the aircraft's performance capabilities at low altitude.

Video Analysis

No video analysis linked for this case file yet.

Interesting Facts

  • 01The aircraft was a Yakovlev Yak-40, registration CCCP-87778, manufactured in 1970.
  • 02Weather at the time of the accident included wet snow, visibility of 1,000 meters, and wind gusts up to 14 m/s.
  • 03The aircraft encountered a microburst that caused a sudden loss of altitude that the crew could not recover from at low height.
  • 04The crash site was located 1,250 meters from the runway threshold and 230 meters to the left of the centerline.
  • 05All 14 passengers and 4 crew members perished in the accident.

Location

Near Bratsk, Irkutsk Oblast, USSR · 56.3680, 101.7150

ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the entered by an editor.

Case File History

  1. CorrectionUpdated investigation summary.
  2. CorrectionUpdated investigation summary.
  3. New evidenceUpdated systems analysis, event timeline and findings.

Related Cases

Case ID · aeroflot-608-1972Last updated · Filed

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