Sverdlovsk – Kuybyshev – Grozny

On October 20, 1986 at 03:50 PM, Sverdlovsk – Kuybyshev – Grozny experienced a crash involving Tupolev TU-134, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, with the event recorded near Kuybyshev Samara oblast.

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.

94 people were known to be on board, 70 fatalities were recorded, 24 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 74.5%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 87, passenger fatalities: 66, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Following an uneventful flight from Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport, the crew started the approach to Kuybyshev-Kurumoch Airport. For training purposes, the captain decided to attempt a 'blind' approach and closed the window blinds on his side, which was prohibited in such conditions. At decision height, he decided to continue and failed to realize the configuration was wrong. The aircraft passed over the runway 15 threshold and one second prior to impact, the flight engineer opened the window blinds but this was too late. At a speed of 280 km/h and with a rate of descent of 5 meters per second, the aircraft struck the runway surface with a positive acceleration of 4,8 g. This caused the left wing to be partially torn off. Out of control, the aircraft continued for about 214 meters then came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. 64 occupants were killed while 30 others were injured, some seriously. Within few hours, six of the survivors died from their injuries.

Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-65766, MSN 62327, year of manufacture 1979.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 54.2607°, 48.4439°.