Aeroflot Flight 3630

1970 aviation accident

Aeroflot Flight 3630
Accident
A Tupolev Tu-124V similar to the accident aircraft
Date	2 September 1970 (1970-09-02)
Summary	Loss of control for reasons unknown
Site	Near Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Tupolev Tu-124
Operator	Aeroflot
Registration	СССР-45012
Flight origin	Mineralnye Vody Airport
Stopover	Rostov-on-Don Airport
Destination	Vilnius Airport
Occupants	37
Passengers	32
Crew	5
Fatalities	37
Survivors	0

Aeroflot Flight 3630 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight operated by Aeroflot from Mineralnye Vody Airport to Vilnius Airport with a stop over at Rostov-on-Don Airport. On 2 September 1970, the Tu-124 operating this flight crashed after a loss of control at cruise altitude, 42 minutes after takeoff from Rostov-on-Don Airport. All 32 passengers and five crew members were killed.

The Air Accident Investigation Commission was unable to discover the root cause of the accident.

Accident

After a brief stopover, Flight 3630 departed Rostov-on-Don Airport at 14:55 Moscow time and at 15:14 reported passing over Donetsk at 8,400 meters. A short time later air traffic control (ATC) requested a rapid climb to 9,000 metres (30,000 ft) to avoid traffic and at 15:16 the flight reported reaching 9,000 metres (30,000 ft). At 15:31 the crew contacted ATC announcing in a calm tone their ground speed was 852 km/h (460 kn; 529 mph) and that they expected to pass over Kremenchug at 15:41. Then at 15:37 controllers received a short message from flight 3630 consisting of "Forty Five - Zero - Twelve" with the word twelve spoken with a frantic inflection. This was the last contact with the flight. The aircraft entered a steep pitch down as it rolled left, striking the ground at approximately a 70 degree angle at 950 km/h (513 kn; 590 mph).^[1]^[2]

Aircraft

Construction of the Tu-124 involved, serial number 1350402 04–02, was completed at production factory 135 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on 30 September 1961 and it was transferred to the civil air fleet. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had sustained a total of 7,504 flight hours and 6,996 cycles.^[1]

Investigation

The aircraft created a deep cone-shaped crater at impact, destroying much of the airframe. The flight data recorder was damaged beyond recovery of any data but the Air Accident Investigation Commission were able to determine that the engines were set to idle power, the flaps, spoilers and landing gear were all in the retracted position and that rudder trim was full right with the left aileron trim full up.^[1]^[2]

Weather along the flight route was calm and ruled out as a possible cause.^[1]

Investigators looked into the possibility that the aircraft collided in flight with an unmanned military vehicle or a weather balloon but no evidence surfaced. The commission found no evidence of an in flight aircraft failure or structural break up. The right engine and other sections of the aircraft displayed damage due to fire and investigators considered that a fire in flight may have caused the accident. An examination of the victims found no smoke had been inhaled and further analysis of the crash site determined all fire damage occurred during the post crash fire so this possibility was ruled out.^[1]^[2]

The investigators were able to conclude that full deflection of the rudder and left aileron trim would have significant effects on control of the aircraft at cruising speed but the chain of events leading to the accident was never determined.^[1]^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Accident of Tu-124 of the Lithuanian Civil Aviation Administration in the Dnipropetrovsk region". airdisaster.ru. Dmitry Ertsov, Alexander Fetisov. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Wednesday 2 September 1970". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 23 September 2019.

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 1970 (1970)
Jan 5 Spantax Convair crash Feb 2 Cornfield Bomber crash landing Feb 4 Aerolineas Argentinas Flight 707 Feb 4 TAROM Flight 35 Feb 6 Aeroflot Flight U-45 Feb 15 Dominicana DC-9 disaster Feb 21 Swissair Flight 330 Mar 17 Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320 Mar 31 Japan Airlines Flight 351 Apr 1 Aeroflot Flight 1661 Apr 1 Berrechid crash Apr 21 Philippine Airlines Flight 215 May 2 ALM Flight 980 May 15 Dymshits–Kuznetsov hijacking affair Jul 3 Dan-Air Flight 1903 Jul 5 Air Canada Flight 621 Jul 18 Soviet Air Force Antonov An-22 Jul 22 Olympic Airways Flight 255 hijacking Jul 27 Flying Tiger Line Flight 45 Aug 9 LANSA Flight 502 Aug 12 China Airlines Flight 206 Sep 2 Aeroflot Flight 3630 Sep 6 Dawson's Field hijackings Sep 8 Trans International Airlines Flight 863 Sep 26 Icelandair Flugfélag Islands Flight 704 Oct 2 Wichita State Univ football team Oct 15 Aeroflot Flight 244 Nov 14 Southern Airways Flight 932 Nov 27 Capitol International Airways Flight C2C3/26
1969 ◄ ► 1971

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1970 (1970)

Jan 5

Spantax Convair crash

Feb 2

Cornfield Bomber crash landing

Feb 4

Aerolineas Argentinas Flight 707

Feb 4

TAROM Flight 35

Feb 6

Aeroflot Flight U-45

Feb 15

Dominicana DC-9 disaster

Feb 21

Swissair Flight 330

Mar 17

Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320

Mar 31

Japan Airlines Flight 351

Apr 1

Aeroflot Flight 1661

Apr 1

Berrechid crash

Apr 21

Philippine Airlines Flight 215

May 2

ALM Flight 980

May 15

Dymshits–Kuznetsov hijacking affair

Jul 3

Dan-Air Flight 1903

Jul 5

Air Canada Flight 621

Jul 18

Soviet Air Force Antonov An-22

Jul 22

Olympic Airways Flight 255 hijacking

Jul 27

Flying Tiger Line Flight 45

Aug 9

LANSA Flight 502

Aug 12

China Airlines Flight 206

Sep 2

Aeroflot Flight 3630

Sep 6

Dawson's Field hijackings

Sep 8

Trans International Airlines Flight 863

Sep 26

Icelandair Flugfélag Islands Flight 704

Oct 2

Wichita State Univ football team

Oct 15

Aeroflot Flight 244

Nov 14

Southern Airways Flight 932

Nov 27

Capitol International Airways Flight C2C3/26

1969 ◄ ► 1971

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

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in Ukraine
Ukrainian SSR	Aeroflot Flight 315 (November 1959) Aeroflot Flight 315 (February 1960) Aeroflot Flight 036 (August 1960) Aeroflot Flight N-826 (August 1969) Aeroflot Flight 3630 (September 1970) Aeroflot Flight 1969 (March 1971) Malév Flight 110 (September 1971) Aeroflot Flight N-63 (November 1971) Aeroflot Flight 1491 (May 1972) Aeroflot Flight 1802 (May 1976) Aeroflot Flight N-36 (December 1976) Dniprodzerzhynsk mid-air collision (August 1979) Zolochiv mid-air collision (May 1985) Aeroflot Flight N-528 (June 1987)
Ukraine	Borodianka mid-air collision (February 1995) Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 (October 2001) Sknyliv air show disaster (July 2002) Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise Flight 612 (August 2006) South Airlines Flight 8971 (February 2013) Ukrainian Air Force Il-76 shootdown (June 2014) Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (July 2014) Ukraine Air Alliance Flight 4050 (October 2019) Chuhuiv An-26 crash (September 2020) Brovary helicopter crash (January 2023)

Aviation accidents and incidents in Ukraine

Ukrainian SSR