Investigation Summary
Flight 107 departed Sofia for a scheduled flight to Warsaw. While climbing toward a target altitude of 8,850 meters, the aircraft reached 4,900 meters before deviating from its course. It performed a series of sharp turns, first to a heading of 050 degrees and then to 270 degrees, before entering a steep, abnormal descent. The Tu-134 struck the ground at approximately 800 km/h near Gabare, roughly 130 km northeast of Sofia. The impact occurred just 10 minutes after takeoff. Because the aircraft had 11 tons of fuel remaining, the resulting explosion and fire were intense. The Bulgarian Army immediately cordoned off the site, and the official investigation was closed quickly with a vague finding of an electrical malfunction. The lack of transparency fueled theories that the aircraft may have been intercepted or accidentally struck by a Bulgarian Air Force MiG-21, as the crash site was near a Warsaw Pact military base.
Final Conclusions
The official cause was cited as a malfunction of the electrical installation, but this finding is widely disputed due to the lack of supporting evidence and the haste of the investigation. Modern investigative reports suggest the possibility of an in-flight security incident or a military-related accident that was suppressed by the state.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Electrical Installation
The official Bulgarian report cited a malfunction in the electrical systems as the cause, though no specific details were provided.
Interesting Facts
- 01It remains the deadliest aviation accident in Bulgarian history.
- 02The aircraft was carrying the Polish national track cycling team and the Bulgarian national rhythmic gymnastics team.
- 03Notable victims included Polish Vice-Minister of Culture Janusz Wilhelmi and Bulgarian footballer Georgi Dimitrov.
- 04The impact occurred at high speed with 11 tons of fuel on board, leaving no survivors.
- 05The crash site was located near a Warsaw Pact military base, leading to theories of a military shoot-down or collision.
- 06A 2024 investigation alleged the presence of two unlisted passengers who may have been state-trained agents.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Alleged Military Involvement
Reference ↗Persistent theories suggest the aircraft was either shot down by Bulgarian anti-aircraft defenses or collided with a Bulgarian Air Force MiG-21 due to the proximity of a military base.
Unlisted Passengers and Hijacking Theory
Reference ↗A 2024 report by Biograph journal cited former state security witnesses claiming two unlisted Arab agents were on board and that a struggle in the cockpit may have caused the crash.