1958 Aeroflot Tu-104 Kanash crash

Aviation accident in the Soviet Union

58°28′31″N 47°7′22″E / 58.47528°N 47.12278°E / 58.47528; 47.12278AircraftAircraft typeTupolev Tu-104AOperatorAeroflotRegistrationCCCP-42362Flight originBeijing International AirportStopoverOmsk AirportDestinationMoscow-Vnukovo AirportOccupants80Passengers71Crew9Fatalities80Survivors0

The 1958 Aeroflot Тu-104 Kanash crash occurred on 17 October 1958 when a Tupolev Tu-104A operated by Aeroflot flying an international route from Beijing to Moscow crashed in bad weather near the town of Kanash, Chuvashia, Russia, four hundred miles east of Moscow, killing all 80 people on board. The flight was carrying high-level diplomatic delegations from numerous Soviet aligned countries such as China, East Germany, and Czechoslovakia. It was just the second fatal accident involving the Tu-104 which had been introduced into Aeroflot's inventory two years earlier, and the deadliest in the airline's history until the crash of Aeroflot Flight 902 in 1962.^[1]

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident was a Tupolev Tu-104A, registered CCCP-42362 to Aeroflot. The Tu-104A was a relatively new aircraft at the time, having been introduced in 1956. It was based on the design of the Soviet strategic bomber, Tupolev Tu-16, but included a wider, pressurized fuselage in order to seat passengers. At the time of the accident, CCCP-42362 had sustained a mere 465 flight hours and had been in service for less than three months.^[2]^[3]

Passengers and crew

Crew

Aboard were three flight attendants and a cockpit crew consisting of:

Check Captain: Garold Dmitrievich Kuznetsov
Captain: Anton Filimonovich Artemov
Co-pilot: Igor Alexandrovich Rogozin
Flight engineer: Ivan Vladimirovich Veselov
Navigator: Yevgeny Andreevich Mumrienko
Radio operator: Alexander Sergeevich Fedorov

Passengers

The passengers on board the flight consisted by and large of diplomatic delegations from numerous foreign nations, most of them Soviet allies, who were on their way to Moscow for an official event. The largest group of passengers aboard the aircraft were Soviet citizens, however a sixteen-person Chinese Communist delegation, led by prominent writer and academic Cheng Chen-to (Zheng Zhenduo) and Tsai Sha-fan, comprised the largest group of foreign citizens on the flight. The single Cambodian citizen on the flight was Cambodia's ambassador to China.^[2]^[4]^[5]

Nationalities

Nationality	Passengers	Crew	Total
Soviet Union	17	9	26
People's Republic of China	16	0	16
Czechoslovakia	8	0	8
East Germany	5	0	5
France	5	0	5
Hungary	5	0	5
Romania	3	0	3
Sudan	3	0	3
Morocco	3	0	3
Great Britain	2	0	2
Poland	1	0	1
Iraq	1	0	1
Cambodia	1	0	1
Laos	1	0	1
Total	71	9	80

Synopsis

CCCP-42362 took off from Beijing en route to Moscow on 17 October 1958. It landed at its stopover in Omsk, Russia before continuing west to its final destination. As it neared Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, authorization to land was denied by controllers due to heavy fog. The pilots diverted to their alternate, Gorky Airport, before proceeding to Sverdlovsk after the weather in Gorky was also deemed unsuitable for landing. At this point the aircraft was flying at an altitude of 10,000 meters (33,000 ft) when it suddenly flew into an area of high turbulence causing the aircraft to experience a sudden and drastic increase in pitch.^[1]^[2]

Caught in a powerful updraft, the aircraft abruptly reached an altitude of 12,000 meters (39,000 ft). According to one of the pilots per the cockpit voice recording, the aircraft was "standing on its hind legs", and shortly after it entered a sharp, near vertical dive followed by a spin.^[6] Despite the efforts of the crew, the force on the aircraft's horizontal stabilizers was too great for the pilots to overcome and an impact with the ground became inevitable. The flight's pilot-in-command, Harold Kuznetsov, instructed the radio operator to transmit details about the aircraft's situation to ground controllers before shouting "... we're dying! Goodbye!", according to the black box recordings.^[7] At 21:30 MSK, the Tu-104A crashed near Apnerka rail station, west of the town of Kanash.^[2]

Conclusions

The investigation into the crash was led by Minister of Aircraft Production Mikhail Khrunichev and Chief Air Marshal Pavel Zhigarev, the head of Aeroflot.^[5] The cause of the crash was determined to be a loss of control as a result of the aircraft flying into an area of strong turbulence which caused it to exceed critical angles of attack. This conclusion was reached by comparing the experience of other Tu-104 pilots who reported similar cases after flying at altitudes of 8,000 meters (26,000 ft)) and higher, and examination of the cockpit voice recordings. As a result of the crash, authorities limited the maximum flight level of the Tu-104 to 9,000 meters (29,500 ft) and a redesign of the aircraft's stabilizers was undertaken.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b Ranter, Harro (1958-10-17). "Vliegtuigongeval op 17 OCT 1958 met Tupolev 104A CCCP-42362 - Kanash". Aviation Safety Network >. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Катастрофа Ту-104А МУТА ГВФ в районе Канаша (борт CCCP-42362), 17 октября 1958 года. // AirDisaster.ru - факты, история, статистика. авиационные происшествия, инциденты и авиакатастрофы в СССР и России (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-01-30.
^ Pike, John (2018-01-30). "Tu-104 Camel". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
^ Yuwu Song (8 July 2013). Biographical Dictionary of the People's Republic of China. McFarland. pp. 418–. ISBN 978-0-7864-3582-1.
^ ^a ^b Edgar A. Haine (2000). Disaster in the Air. Associated University Presses. pp. 187–. ISBN 978-0-8453-4777-5.
^ Памяти экипажа Гарольда Кузнецова. Геокэшинг (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-01-30.
^ Туполев Ту-104. хЗПМПЛ ОЕВБ - вПМШЫБС БЧЙБГЙПООБС ЬОГЙЛМПРЕДЙС (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-01-30.

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Exited	Aurora Nordavia (now Smartavia)

Fleet

Accidents and
incidents

1950s	Flight 31 Kiev mid-air collision Flight 04 Тu-104 Kanash crash Flight 120 Flight 200 Flight 315
1960s	Flight 315 Flight 207 Flight 036 Flight 068 Flight 245 Flight 902 Flight 415 Flight 03 Flight 213 Flight 191 Flight 25 Flight 012 Flight 366 Flight 663 Flight 721 Flight 101/X-20 Flight 542 Flight 513 Flight 99 Flight 065 Flight 2723 Flight 5003 Flight 2230 Flight L-51 Flight 1668 Flight 15 Flight 831 Flight N-826
1970s	Flight U-45 Flight 1661 Flight 3630 CCCP-11000 crash CCCP-12996 crash Flight 1969 Flight 1912 Flight 773 Flight 2174 Flight 1491 Flight 558 Flight 1036 Flight 217 Flight 6263 Flight 141 Flight 630 Flight 6551 Flight 109 Flight A-13 Flight 3932 Flight 964 Flight 19 Flight 2022 CCCP-75559 crash Flight 662 Flight 2003 Flight 3739 Flight 909 Flight 1802 Flight 418 Flights 7957 and 31 Flight 2415 Flight N-36 Flight 3843 Flight 5003 Flight 331 Flight B-2 Flight 6709 Flight 1080 Flight 1691 Flights 7628 and 7880 Flight 5484
1980s	Flight 4225 Flight 498 Flight 811 Flight 3603 Flight 8641 Flight 411 Flight 343 Flight 5463 Flight 601 Flight 3352 Flight 3519 Flight 7841 Zolochiv mid-air collision Flight 5143 Flight 101/435 Flight 2306 Flight 6502 Flight 892 Flight U-505 Flight N-528 Flight 699 Flight 3739
since 1990s	CCCP-46472 crash Flight 2808 Flight 593 Flight 521 Flight 821 Flight 1492

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Topics

Accidents and incidents (Tu-134)

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1958 (1958)
Jan 15 Channel Airways DH.104 Dove Feb 5 Tybee Island mid-air collision Feb 6 Munich air disaster Feb 27 Winter Hill disaster Apr 6 Capital Airlines Flight 67 Apr 21 United Airlines Flight 736 May 20 Capital Airlines Flight 300 May 25 Dan Air Avro York Jun 27 Westover Air Force Base KC-135 crash Aug 9 Central African Airways Flight 890 Aug 14 KLM Flight 607–E Aug 15 Aeroflot Flight 4 Aug 15 Northeast Airlines Flight 258 Sep 2 London Vickers Viking Sep 5 Aeroflot Flight 365 Sep 20 Syerston Avro Vulcan crash Oct 17 Aeroflot Тu-104 Kanash crash Oct 22 BEA Flight 142 Dec 4 Aviaco Languedoc Dec 24 BOAC Bristol Britannia
1957 ◄ ► 1959

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1958 (1958)

Jan 15

Channel Airways DH.104 Dove

Feb 5

Tybee Island mid-air collision

Feb 6

Munich air disaster

Feb 27

Winter Hill disaster

Apr 6

Capital Airlines Flight 67

Apr 21

United Airlines Flight 736

May 20

Capital Airlines Flight 300

May 25

Dan Air Avro York

Jun 27

Westover Air Force Base KC-135 crash

Aug 9

Central African Airways Flight 890

Aug 14

KLM Flight 607–E

Aug 15

Aeroflot Flight 4

Aug 15

Northeast Airlines Flight 258

Sep 2

London Vickers Viking

Sep 5

Aeroflot Flight 365

Sep 20

Syerston Avro Vulcan crash

Oct 17

Aeroflot Тu-104 Kanash crash

Oct 22

BEA Flight 142

Dec 4

Aviaco Languedoc

Dec 24

BOAC Bristol Britannia

1957 ◄ ► 1959

Aviation accidents and incidents in the Soviet Union

1930s	Osoaviakhim-1 SSSR-V6 Osoaviakhim
1940s	1948 Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-12 crash
1950s	1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash LOT Polish Airlines Flight 232 1957 Kiev mid-air collision Aeroflot Flight 04 1958 Aeroflot Tu-104 Kanash crash Aeroflot Flight 315 (1959) Aeroflot Flight 120 Aeroflot Flight 200
1960s	Aeroflot Flight 315 (1960) U-2 incident Aeroflot Flight 207 RB-47 shootdown incident Aeroflot Flight 036 Austrian Airlines Flight 901 Aeroflot Flight 068 Aeroflot Flight 245 Aeroflot Flight 902 Aeroflot Flight 415 Aeroflot Flight 213 (1962) Aeroflot Flight 191 Aeroflot Flight 03 Aeroflot Flight 25 Aeroflot Flight 012 Aeroflot Flight 366 Aeroflot Flight 663 Aeroflot Flight 721 Aeroflot Flight 101/X-20 Aeroflot Flight 542 Aeroflot Flight 513 Aeroflot Flight 99 Aeroflot Flight 065 Aeroflot Flight 2723 Aeroflot Flight 5003 (1967) Aeroflot Flight 2230 Aeroflot Flight L-51 Aeroflot Flight 15 Seaboard World Airlines Flight 253A 1969 Yukhnov mid-air collision Aeroflot Flight N-826
1970s	Aeroflot Flight U-45 Aeroflot Flight 1661 Dymshits–Kuznetsov hijacking affair Aeroflot Flight 3630 Aeroflot Flight 244 22 January 1971 Surgut Aeroflot Antonov An-12 crash 31 January 1971 Surgut Aeroflot Antonov An-12 crash Aeroflot Flight 1969 Aeroflot Flight 1912 Malév Flight 110 Aeroflot Flight 773 Aeroflot Flight N-63 Aeroflot Flight 2174 Aeroflot Flight 1491 Aeroflot Flight 558 Aeroflot Flight 1036 Aeroflot Flight 217 Japan Air Lines Flight 446 Aeroflot Flight 6263 Aeroflot Flight 141 Aeroflot Flight 630 Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 307 Aeroflot Flight 6551 Aeroflot Flight 109 Aeroflot Flight A-13 Aeroflot Flight 3932 Aeroflot Flight 964 Aeroflot Flight 19 Aeroflot Flight 2022 1974 Leningrad Aeroflot Il-18 crash 1974 Surgut mid-air collision Aeroflot Flight 2003 Aeroflot Flight 3739 (1976) Aeroflot Flight 909 Aeroflot Flight 1802 Aeroflot Flight A-53 Aeroflot Flight 418 1976 Anapa mid-air collision Aeroflot Flight 2415 Aeroflot Flight N-36 Aeroflot Flight 3843 Aeroflot Flight 5003 (1977) 1977 Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-134 hijacking Aeroflot Flight B-2 Aeroflot Flight 6709 Korean Air Lines Flight 902 1978 Yegoryevsk Tu-144 crash Iranian Chinook shootdown Aeroflot Flight 1080 Aeroflot Flight 1691 1979 Dniprodzerzhynsk mid-air collision Aeroflot Flight 5484
1980s– Dec. 1991	Aeroflot Flight 4225 1981 Pushkin Tu-104 crash Aeroflot Flight 498 1981 Armenia mid-air collision 1981 Zheleznogorsk mid-air collision Aeroflot Flight 811 Aeroflot Flight 3603 Aeroflot Flight 8641 Aeroflot Flight 411 Aeroflot Flight 5463 Korean Air Lines Flight 007 Aeroflot Flight 601 Aeroflot Flight 3352 Aeroflot Flight 3519 Aeroflot Flight 7841 1985 Zolochiv mid-air collision Aeroflot Flight 5143 Aeroflot Flight 101/435 Aeroflot Flight 2306 Aeroflot Flight 6502 Aeroflot Flight U-505 Aeroflot Flight N-528 Aeroflot Flight 699 Aeroflot Flight 3739 (1988) 1988 Soviet Air Force Il-76 crash An-24 crash in Navoiy Aeroflot Flight 8556