Investigation Summary
Approximately two and a half minutes after departing Leningrad for Krasnodar (with a scheduled intermediate stop at Zaporizhzhia), the number 4 engine experienced a catastrophic failure of the fourth-stage turbine disc. This failure initiated an intense fire and severe airframe vibrations. Captain Nikolai Danilov declared an emergency and elected to return to Pulkovo Airport rather than diverting to closer military airfields because fire services were already mobilized at Pulkovo. As the crew configured the aircraft for landing, the fire damage likely compromised the wing's mechanical systems. When the flaps were deployed, the aircraft experienced an asymmetrical flap extension, leading to a sudden loss of control. The aircraft rolled into an inverted attitude and crashed near railroad tracks in the direction of Luga. While some sources cite 102 fatalities, specialized aviation databases confirm 109 total deaths, including 7 crew members.
Final Conclusions
The accident was caused by the uncontained failure of the number 4 engine's turbine disc, which led to a persistent in-flight fire. The secondary and terminal cause was the failure of the flight control systems (specifically the flaps) due to fire damage, resulting in an uncontrollable roll during the final approach phase.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Ivchenko AI-20K Engine
The number 4 engine suffered a catastrophic failure of the fourth-stage turbine disc, leading to an uncontained fire.
Flaps
An asymmetrical flap condition occurred during the final approach, leading to an unrecoverable roll.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was 10 years old at the time of the accident.
- 02The crash was the ninth Aeroflot accident in an 18-month period.
- 03Soviet media largely suppressed information regarding the disaster at the time.
- 04The final radio transmission from the cockpit was 'We're falling, it's the end'.