Moscow - Frankfurt - Lisbon - Havana
Flight / Schedule
Moscow - Frankfurt - Lisbon - Havana
Aircraft
Ilyushin II-62Registration
CCCP-86614
MSN
51903
Year of Manufacture
1975
Date
May 27, 1977 at 08:45 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Havana-José Martí (Rancho Boyeros) La Habana
Region
Central America • Cuba
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On May 27, 1977 at 08:45 AM, Moscow - Frankfurt - Lisbon - Havana experienced a crash involving Ilyushin II-62, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, with the event recorded near Havana-José Martí (Rancho Boyeros) La Habana.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
69 people were known to be on board, 67 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 97.1%.
Crew on board: 10, crew fatalities: 10, passengers on board: 59, passenger fatalities: 57, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. Following an uneventful flight from Lisbon, the crew started the descent to Havana-Jose Martí-Rancho Boyeros Airport and was cleared for an approach to runway 05. The crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions and failed to realize his altitude was too low after he initiated the final approach too late, causing the aircraft to be 64 meters below the minimum descent altitude. The aircraft turned onto runway heading at a distance of 9 km from the runway threshold. According to the approach procedure, the aircraft should have done so at 14-15 km from the threshold. Despite he did not have the runway in sight, the captain decided to continue to descent until the aircraft passed below the decision height. At a distance of 1,820 meters from the runway threshold, the aircraft was approaching at a speed of 280 km/h and at a height of 23-25 meters when it struck power cables. Elevators separated and flaps on the right wing were torn off. The airplane then struck 22 palms, continued to descent until it crashed in flames 1,270 meters short of runway and 121 meters to the right of its extended centerline. Two passengers were seriously injured while 67 other occupants were killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-86614, MSN 51903, year of manufacture 1975.
Fatalities
Total
67
Crew
10
Passengers
57
Other
0
Crash Summary
Following an uneventful flight from Lisbon, the crew started the descent to Havana-Jose Martí-Rancho Boyeros Airport and was cleared for an approach to runway 05. The crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions and failed to realize his altitude was too low after he initiated the final approach too late, causing the aircraft to be 64 meters below the minimum descent altitude. The aircraft turned onto runway heading at a distance of 9 km from the runway threshold. According to the approach procedure, the aircraft should have done so at 14-15 km from the threshold. Despite he did not have the runway in sight, the captain decided to continue to descent until the aircraft passed below the decision height. At a distance of 1,820 meters from the runway threshold, the aircraft was approaching at a speed of 280 km/h and at a height of 23-25 meters when it struck power cables. Elevators separated and flaps on the right wing were torn off. The airplane then struck 22 palms, continued to descent until it crashed in flames 1,270 meters short of runway and 121 meters to the right of its extended centerline. Two passengers were seriously injured while 67 other occupants were killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
10
Passengers On Board
59
Estimated Survivors
2
Fatality Rate
97.1%
Known people on board: 69
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Moscow - Frankfurt - Lisbon - Havana
Flight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Central America • Cuba