Magadan – Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

On January 1, 1966 at 05:30 AM, Magadan – Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky experienced a crash involving Avia 14, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, with the event recorded near Mt Yurshik Kamchatka Krai.

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

23 people were known to be on board, 23 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: 18, passenger fatalities: 18, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Two hours after his departure from Magadan on a flight to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, while cruising by night at an altitude of 3,600 meters, the crew informed ATC that the right engine failed. The pilot was instructed to divert to Sobolevo Airport for a safe landing but he preferred to continue to the destination despite the fact the aircraft was losing altitude as the power on one engine was insufficient. The aircraft descended to 2,700 meters and the pilot was aware of the mountain en route (2,000 meters high) and estimated his altitude was sufficient (gap of about 600 meters). Few minutes later, weather conditions deteriorated with snow showers and the visibility became very limited. Henceforth at an altitude of 2,000 meters in poor visibility, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Yurshik (2,059 meters high) located about 60 km northwest of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The wreckage was found three days later, on January 4, and all 23 occupants have been killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-61618, MSN 015 602 108, year of manufacture 1957.