Volgograd – Rostov-on-Don

On March 7, 1968 at 10:21 AM, Volgograd – Rostov-on-Don experienced a crash involving Tupolev TU-124, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, with the event recorded near Volgograd Volgograd oblast.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

49 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 48 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 2.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 44, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. During the takeoff roll at Volgograd Airport, after a course of 1,000 meters and while at a speed of 260 km/h, the captain attempted to rotate and pulled the control column. In the same time, he mistakenly pushed the spoiler switch for a period of three seconds. After rotation, the aircraft climbed to a height of 10-15 meters and flew for a distance of about 400 meters then banked left and struck the ground. Upon impact, the left wing was torn off and the airplane crashed in a grassy area and came to rest, broken in three. The wreckage was found 83 meters to the left of the runway and 1,640 meters from the runway threshold. 44 people were evacuated safely while four others were seriously injured, among them the copilot, the board mechanic and the board agent. The radio navigator was killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-45019, MSN 2 35 05 04, year of manufacture 1962.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 48.6975°, 44.5136°.