Aeroflot Flight 217

1972 plane crash in Moscow, Russia

56°4′50″N 37°24′36″E / 56.08056°N 37.41000°E / 56.08056; 37.41000AircraftAircraft typeIlyushin Il-62OperatorAeroflotRegistrationCCCP-86671Flight originOrly AirportStopoverShosseynaya AirportDestinationSheremetyevo International AirportOccupants174Passengers164Crew10Fatalities174Survivors0

Aeroflot Flight 217 was a non-scheduled international passenger flight from Orly Airport in Paris to Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow, with a stopover at Shosseynaya Airport (now Pulkovo Airport) in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). On 13 October 1972, the Ilyushin Il-62 airliner operating the flight crashed on approach to Sheremetyevo, with the loss of all 164 passengers and crew of 10. At the time, it was the world's deadliest civil aviation disaster, until it was surpassed by the Kano air disaster in 1973.^[1] As of 2023^[update], this remains the second-deadliest accident involving an Il-62, after LOT Flight 5055, and the second-deadliest on Russian soil, after Aeroflot Flight 3352.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Passengers

Nation	Number
Algeria	6
Australia	1
Chile	38
East Germany	1
Soviet Union	118^{[note 1]}
Total	174^[5]

Crash

Shortly before the expected landing, the plane was flying at the altitude of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and received the ATC instructions to descend to 400 metres (1,300 ft). The crew confirmed and started to descend, but later there was no action to return to the horizontal flight. The plane passed the 400-metre (1,300 ft) mark with 20 m/s (66 ft/s) vertical velocity, no expected report to ATC and engines still running at low thrust. It crashed shortly afterwards, with landing gear up, spoilers retracted and horizontal speed about 620 km/h (330 kn; 390 mph).^[5]

Investigation

The cause of the crash could not be determined. Investigators did believe the most probable cause was the 'psycho-physiological incapacitation of the crew for reasons unknown'.^[6] Somewhere around 500–600 metres (1,600–2,000 ft) altitude, 30–25 seconds before impact, the pilots either have been incapacitated or lost control of the plane.^[5]

Notes

^ 108 passengers and 10 crew.

References

^ Leddington, Roger (16 October 1972). "Death toll at 176 in Russian crash". Nashua Telegraph. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Ilyushin 62 CCCP-86671 Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 8 April 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Ilyushin 62M SP-LBG Warszawa-Okecie Airport (WAW)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 10 November 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev 154B-1 CCCP-85243 Omsk Airport (OMS)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 22 March 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c Катастрофа Ил-62 ЦУМВС в районе озера Нерское (борт СССР-86671), 13 октября 1972 [Accident of IL-62 TSUMVS near Lake Nerskoye (board USSR-86671), October 13, 1972]. airdisaster.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 26 August 2012.
^ Gero, David (1996). Aviation Disasters Second Edition. Patrick Stephens Limited. p. 110.

External links

"Aeroflot accident at Moscow". Flight International. 102 (3319): 517. 19 October 1972.
Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Ilyushin 62 CCCP-86671 Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
"Picture of the plane - Photo de l'avion". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2015.

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 1972 (1972)
Jan 7 Iberia Flight 602 Jan 21 Turkish Airlines DC-9 crash Jan 26 JAT Yugoslav Flight 367 Feb 22 Lufthansa Flight 649 Mar 3 Mohawk Airlines Flight 405 Mar 14 Sterling Airways Flight 296 Mar 19 EgyptAir Flight 763 Apr 18 East African Airways Flight 720 May 5 Alitalia Flight 112 May 8 Sabena Flight 571 May 18 Aeroflot Flight 1491 May 30 Delta Air Lines Flight 9570 Jun 12 American Airlines Flight 96 Jun 14 Japan Air Lines Flight 471 Jun 15 Cathay Pacific Flight 700Z Jun 18 British European Airways Flight 548 Jun 24 Prinair Flight 191 Jun 29 Lake Winnebago mid-air collision Jul 2 Pan Am Flight 841 Jul 5 Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 710 Jul 31 Delta Air Lines Flight 841 Aug 14 Königs Wusterhausen disaster Aug 16 Burma Airways Thandwe crash Aug 31 Aeroflot Flight 558 Sep 15 Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 130 Sep 24 Japan Air Lines Flight 472 Sep 24 Sacramento Canadair Sabre accident Oct 1 Aeroflot Flight 1036 Oct 13 Aeroflot Flight 217 Oct 13 Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 Oct 27 Air Inter Flight 696Y Oct 29 Lufthansa Flight 615 Nov 10 Southern Airways Flight 49 Nov 15 Ansett Australia Flight 232 Nov 28 Japan Air Lines Flight 446 Dec 3 Spantax Flight 275 Dec 8 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 708 Dec 8 United Air Lines Flight 553 Dec 8 Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631 Dec 20 Chicago–O'Hare runway collision Dec 23 Braathens Flight 239 Dec 29 Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Dec 31 Puerto Rico DC-7 crash
1971 ◄ ► 1973

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1972 (1972)

Jan 7

Iberia Flight 602

Jan 21

Turkish Airlines DC-9 crash

Jan 26

JAT Yugoslav Flight 367

Feb 22

Lufthansa Flight 649

Mar 3

Mohawk Airlines Flight 405

Mar 14

Sterling Airways Flight 296

Mar 19

EgyptAir Flight 763

Apr 18

East African Airways Flight 720

May 5

Alitalia Flight 112

May 8

Sabena Flight 571

May 18

Aeroflot Flight 1491

May 30

Delta Air Lines Flight 9570

Jun 12

American Airlines Flight 96

Jun 14

Japan Air Lines Flight 471

Jun 15

Cathay Pacific Flight 700Z

Jun 18

British European Airways Flight 548

Jun 24

Prinair Flight 191

Jun 29

Lake Winnebago mid-air collision

Jul 2

Pan Am Flight 841

Jul 5

Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 710

Jul 31

Delta Air Lines Flight 841

Aug 14

Königs Wusterhausen disaster

Aug 16

Burma Airways Thandwe crash

Aug 31

Aeroflot Flight 558

Sep 15

Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 130

Sep 24

Japan Air Lines Flight 472

Sep 24

Sacramento Canadair Sabre accident

Oct 1

Aeroflot Flight 1036

Oct 13

Aeroflot Flight 217

Oct 13

Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571

Oct 27

Air Inter Flight 696Y

Oct 29

Lufthansa Flight 615

Nov 10

Southern Airways Flight 49

Nov 15

Ansett Australia Flight 232

Nov 28

Japan Air Lines Flight 446

Dec 3

Spantax Flight 275

Dec 8

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 708

Dec 8

United Air Lines Flight 553

Dec 8

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631

Dec 20

Chicago–O'Hare runway collision

Dec 23

Braathens Flight 239

Dec 29

Eastern Air Lines Flight 401

Dec 31

Puerto Rico DC-7 crash

1971 ◄ ► 1973

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