Aeroflot Flight 1080
| Company type | State-owned airline |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | March 17, 1923 |
| Headquarters | Moscow , Soviet Union (now Russia) |
Area served | Domestic and international flights (Soviet Union) |
| Products | Passenger and cargo air transport |
Template:Infobox aircraft occurrence
Aeroflot Flight 1080 was a domestic Soviet passenger service operating between Sverdlovsk (currently Yekaterinburg), Russia, and Dzhambul (now Taraz), Kazakhstan. On the night of October 7, 1978, the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff. The tragedy resulted in the loss of all 38 individuals aboard, caused by engine failure attributed to icing during the initial climb. At that point in time, this accident ranked as the second most severe involving the Yakovlev Yak-40, a model introduced into Aeroflot’s fleet just a decade earlier.
Aircraft and flight
The Yak-40 with registration CCCP-87437 had been operational since July 31, 1974, accumulating nearly 6,300 flight hours before the accident occurred.[1] Flight 1080 was conducted under the Kazakh Civil Aviation Administration as part of the Aeroflot network. Onboard were 34 passengers—including four minors—and a crew of four: two pilots, a flight mechanic, and a stewardess. The flight originated from Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport in Yekaterinburg, Russia, bound for Kostanay Airport in northern Kazakhstan.[2] At the time of departure, weather conditions included overcast skies with light rain and an ambient temperature near 5 °C.
Accident
At 19:48 YEKT on October 7, 1978, Aeroflot Flight 1080 began its takeoff on runway 26 at Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 205 km/h (111 kn), influenced by a crosswind and an overloaded condition. Two minutes later, at 19:50, the flight crew informed air traffic control that the left engine had failed.
The plane started veering left just 100 meters above the ground. At 19:51, controllers witnessed a flash followed by a fire on a wooded slope near the airport. The aircraft collided with trees while still approximately 23 meters (75 ft) above ground level and crashed soon after, resulting in the destruction of the airframe and separation of the tail and rear stabilizers. All 38 occupants aboard Flight 1080 perished in the accident.
Investigation
The accident commission from the Soviet State Research Institute of Civil Aviation attributed the crash primarily to crew error. The aircraft had been loaded beyond its authorized weight limits, necessitating greater thrust during takeoff. The pilots did not adequately consider the icing conditions present at the time. Ice accumulation affected all three engines: the left engine failed shortly after becoming airborne, while the right and center engines delivered insufficient power. Additionally, the commission highlighted air traffic control's failure to warn about nearby terrain after authorizing a left turn at an altitude of only 100 meters as a contributing factor in the incident.