Khabarovsk – Magdagachi – Irkutsk – Moscow

On December 18, 1957 at 12:35 PM, Khabarovsk – Magdagachi – Irkutsk – Moscow experienced a crash involving Ilyushin II-12, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, with the event recorded near Birobidzhan Evreyskaya oblast (Jewish Autonomous oblast).

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

27 people were known to be on board, 27 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 5, passengers on board: 22, passenger fatalities: 22, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. While parked at Khabarovsk Airport, the aircraft encountered gusty winds up to 86 km/h. Strong winds were still gusting during taxiing and takeoff. At 1158LT, the crew left Khabarovsk Airport bound for Magdagachi. At 1235LT, while cruising at an altitude of 2,100 meters, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed on the northwestern slope of Mt Poktoi located about 30 km west of Birobidzhan. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft was found. The wreckage was located in June 1958 on a 45° slope terrain. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-L1309, MSN 30 015, year of manufacture 1947.