Moscow – Belgrade

On October 19, 1964 at 11:35 AM, Moscow – Belgrade experienced a crash involving Ilyushin II-18, operated by Soviet Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily CCCP, with the event recorded near Belgrade-Nikola Tesla (ex Surcin) Belgrade City District.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

33 people were known to be on board, 33 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 11, crew fatalities: 11, passengers on board: 22, passenger fatalities: 22, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. While descending to Belgrade-Surcin Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. On final, ATC informed the pilot his altitude was insufficient and that he was approaching below the glide. In foggy conditions, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located on the slope of Mt Avala (520 meters high) located about 20 km from the runway 30 threshold. The wreckage was found about 35 meters below the summit and all 33 occupants were killed. Among the victims were Marshall Sergei S. Biryuzov and General Vladimir I. Zhdanov accompanied by 15 WWII Veterans who were flying to Belgrade to take part to the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the offensive of the city of Belgrade by the Soviet Army on 20 October 1944. Following the accident, all celebrations were cancelled.

Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-75668, MSN 183 0057 04, year of manufacture 1963.