Aeroflot Flight 2022

Tupolev Tu-124 crash in 1973

55°44′26″N 35°47′15″E / 55.74056°N 35.78750°E / 55.74056; 35.78750AircraftAircraft typeTupolev Tu-124VOperatorAeroflotRegistrationСССР-45061Flight originVilnius Airport (VNO/EYVI), LithuaniaDestinationMoscow-Vnukovo Airport (VKO/UUWW), RussiaOccupants51Passengers45Crew6Fatalities51Survivors0

Aeroflot Flight 2022 was a scheduled Soviet domestic passenger flight between Vilnius Airport in Lithuanian SSR and Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union that crashed on 16 December 1973, killing all 51 people on board. The five hundred mile flight suffered a loss of control as a result of a malfunction of its elevator, causing it to crash as it made its final descent into Moscow. At the time of the crash it was the worst accident in aviation history involving a Tupolev Tu-124, since it entered service with Aeroflot in 1962.^[1]

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident was a Tupolev Tu-124V, registered СССР-45061, to Aeroflot. The Tu-124V was a variant of the original Tu-124 which had been introduced in 1962. The 'V' variant of the Tu-124 modified the aircraft to be able to seat 56 passengers, instead of the original 44, and also had increased range and payload capacity. СССР-45061 was equipped with two Soloviev D-20P turbofan engines and had first flown in 1964. It was assigned to Aeroflot's Lithuania division. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had sustained 14,903 flight hours and 13,832 pressurization cycles.^[2]

Crew and passengers

Six crew members were aboard Aeroflot Flight 2022. The flight crew consisted of:

Captain Stepan Boyko
Co-pilot Eugenijus Karnila
Navigator Juozas Časas
Flight engineer Yuno Shamaev
Stewardess Maria Cricova

The crew also included a junior police lieutenant as a sky marshal (they were added after the hijacking of Aeroflot Flight 244 in 1970).^[3]

All of the passengers were Soviet citizens, with the exception of one who was a West German citizen. Majority of the passengers were Lithuanians. They included four noted Lithuanian pediatricians, including Petras Baublys [lt], who traveled to a medical conference in Kharkiv. Bodies of the victims were cremated in Moscow on 21 December. The four doctors were buried in a public ceremony attended by Lithuanian First Secretary Antanas Sniečkus in Antakalnis Cemetery.^[4]

Accident

At 18:10 MSK on 16 December 1973, СССР-45061 took off from Vilnius Airport in Lithuania SSR and proceeded east on a flight to Moscow-Vnukovo Airport in Russia with six crew and 45 passengers on board. Flight 2022 climbed to a cruising altitude of 7,800 meters (25,600 feet) and at 19:03 MSK air traffic controllers in Moscow gave the pilots clearance to begin a descent to 5,700 meters (18,700 feet). At 19:11 MSK the pilots reported the aircraft had entered a steep dive and were having difficulties recovering. Just 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) above the ground the pilots were able to briefly stabilize the aircraft however it then entered a stall followed by a spin. At 19:13 MSK the aircraft crashed into the ground near the village of Karacharovo, northwest of Moscow. All 51 people aboard the aircraft were killed. At the time of the crash, visibility was reported to be 2-4 kilometers with haze and cloudy skies.^[5]

Cause

An investigation ruled out engine problems or weather having playing a part in the crash. In addition, there were no physical jams in the aircraft's rudder, aileron, and wing trim tab components. Investigators determined that a spontaneous short circuit had caused the elevator trim tab to deflect to and maintain an upward position. As a result, the pilots lost horizontal control and entered into an irrecoverable dive.^[5]

References

^ "ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev 124V СССР-45061 Karacharovo". Aviation Safety Network. 1973-12-16. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
^ "Туполев Ту-124В Бортовой №: СССР-45061" [Tupolev Tu-124V Bortovoy No.: USSR-45061]. russianplanes.net (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-01-28.
^ Dargis, Dailius (19 April 2010). "Gydytojų tragedijos žaizdų neužgydė dešimtmečiai" [The wounds of the doctors' tragedy did not heal for decades] (in Lithuanian). TV3.lt. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
^ Srėbalienė, Audrė (16–22 September 2002). "Šiemet - katastrofų vasara" [This year is the summer of disasters]. Ekstra (in Lithuanian). 36 (198). Archived from the original on 9 March 2013.
^ ^a ^b "Катастрофа Ту-124В Литовского УГА в Волоколамском р-не МО" [Tu-124V crash of the Lithuanian Civil Aviation Administration in the Volokolamsk region of the Moscow Region]. www.airdisaster.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-01-28.

Aeroflot

Part of the SkyTeam alliance

Subsidiaries

Active	Pobeda Rossiya
Inactive	Dobrolet Donavia Orenair SAT Airlines Vladivostok Air
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

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973 (1973)
Jan 21 Aeroflot Flight 6263 Jan 22 Kano Nigeria Airways Boeing 707 crash Jan 29 EgyptAir Flight 741 Feb 19 Aeroflot Flight 141 Feb 21 Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 Feb 24 Aeroflot Flight 630 Feb 26 DeKalb–Peachtree Airport Learjet 24 crash Mar 3 Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 307 Mar 5 Nantes mid-air collision Apr 10 Invicta International Airlines Flight 435 May 11 Aeroflot Flight 6551 May 18 Aeroflot Flight 109 May 30 SAM Colombia Flight 601 May 31 Indian Airlines Flight 440 Jun 3 Paris Air Show Tu-144 crash Jun 10 Nepal plane hijacking Jun 20 Aeroméxico Flight 229 Jul 11 Varig Flight 820 Jul 22 Pan Am Flight 816 Jul 23 Japan Air Lines Flight 404 Jul 23 Ozark Air Lines Flight 809 Jul 31 Delta Air Lines Flight 723 Aug 13 Aviaco Flight 118 Aug 18 Aeroflot Flight A-13 Aug 28 TWA Flight 742 Sep 8 World Airways Flight 802 Sep 11 JAT Flight 769 Sep 27 Texas International Airlines Flight 655 Sep 30 Aeroflot Flight 3932 Oct 13 Aeroflot Flight 964 Nov 2 Aeroflot Flight 19 Nov 3 Pan Am Flight 160 Nov 3 National Airlines Flight 27 Nov 21 US Navy C-117D Sólheimasandur Crash Nov 23 Italian Air Force C-47 Argo 16 crash Nov 25 KLM Flight 861 Dec 16 Aeroflot Flight 2022 Dec 17 Iberia Flight 933 Dec 17 Pan Am Fl. 110, Lufthansa Fl. 303 hijacking Dec 22 Royal Air Maroc Caravelle crash
1972 ◄ ► 1974

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973 (1973)

Jan 21

Aeroflot Flight 6263

Jan 22

Kano Nigeria Airways Boeing 707 crash

Jan 29

EgyptAir Flight 741

Feb 19

Aeroflot Flight 141

Feb 21

Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114

Feb 24

Aeroflot Flight 630

Feb 26

DeKalb–Peachtree Airport Learjet 24 crash

Mar 3

Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 307

Mar 5

Nantes mid-air collision

Apr 10

Invicta International Airlines Flight 435

May 11

Aeroflot Flight 6551

May 18

Aeroflot Flight 109

May 30

SAM Colombia Flight 601

May 31

Indian Airlines Flight 440

Jun 3

Paris Air Show Tu-144 crash

Jun 10

Nepal plane hijacking

Jun 20

Aeroméxico Flight 229

Jul 11

Varig Flight 820

Jul 22

Pan Am Flight 816

Jul 23

Japan Air Lines Flight 404

Jul 23

Ozark Air Lines Flight 809

Jul 31

Delta Air Lines Flight 723

Aug 13

Aviaco Flight 118

Aug 18

Aeroflot Flight A-13

Aug 28

TWA Flight 742

Sep 8

World Airways Flight 802

Sep 11

JAT Flight 769

Sep 27

Texas International Airlines Flight 655

Sep 30

Oct 13

Nov 2

Nov 3

Nov 3

National Airlines Flight 27

Nov 21

US Navy C-117D Sólheimasandur Crash

Nov 23

Italian Air Force C-47 Argo 16 crash

Nov 25

KLM Flight 861

Dec 16

Aeroflot Flight 2022

Dec 17

Iberia Flight 933

Dec 17

Pan Am Fl. 110, Lufthansa Fl. 303 hijacking

Dec 22

Royal Air Maroc Caravelle crash

1972 ◄ ► 1974

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