Sofia – Moscow

On June 4, 1962 at 05:33 AM, Sofia – Moscow experienced a crash involving Tupolev TU-104, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, with the event recorded near Sofia-Vrazhdebna Sofia Province.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a mountains crash site.

5 people were known to be on board, 5 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: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft was performing a cargo flight from Sofia to Moscow-Sheremetyevo Airport, carrying a load of 12,108 kg of cherries and 1,408 kg of strawberries. Shortly after takeoff from runway 09, while climbing to a height of 400 meters, the crew informed ground about the failure of the left engine. The pilot-in-command made a slight turn to the left to 5-6° and shut down the left engine 30 seconds later. The airplane continued heading 095° to the altitude of 800 meters then entered in clouds. The crew informed ATC he was dumping the fuel and returning to the airport for an emergency landing. Shortly later, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located 27 km north of the airport and disintegrated on impact. All five crew members were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-42491, MSN 0 2 16 04, year of manufacture 26.