Aeroflot Flight 217
| Company type | Passenger air service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Headquarters | Moscow , Soviet Union |
Area served | International (Paris to Moscow via Leningrad) |
| Products | Passenger air transportation |
Aeroflot Flight 217 Accident Overview
Aeroflot Flight 217 was an unscheduled international passenger service operating between Orly Airport in Paris and Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow, with an intermediate stop at Shosseynaya Airport (currently known as Pulkovo Airport) in Leningrad (present-day Saint Petersburg). On 13 October 1972, the Ilyushin Il-62 aircraft assigned to this route crashed during its final approach to Sheremetyevo, resulting in the tragic loss of all 174 individuals on board—comprising 164 passengers and a crew of 10. At the time, this incident represented the deadliest civil aviation catastrophe worldwide, until it was overtaken by the Kano air disaster in Nigeria the following year.
As of 2026, the disaster remains the second most fatal involving an Il-62 model, ranking only behind LOT Polish Airlines Flight 5055. It also stands as the second deadliest aviation accident on Russian territory, surpassed solely by Aeroflot Flight 3352.
Passengers
| Country | Passenger Count |
|---|---|
| Algeria | 6 |
| Australia | 1 |
| Chile | 38 |
| East Germany | 1 |
| Soviet Union | 118[note 1] |
| Overall Total | 174 |
Crash
Just prior to the scheduled landing, the aircraft was operating at an altitude of approximately 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) when air traffic control instructed the flight crew to descend to 400 metres (1,300 ft). The pilots acknowledged and initiated the descent; however, they did not resume level flight afterward. The aircraft passed the 400-metre (1,300 ft) altitude threshold descending at a vertical speed of about 20 m/s (66 ft/s), without the anticipated communication to ATC, while engines remained at low power settings. The crash occurred shortly after, with landing gear retracted, spoilers not deployed, and a forward velocity near 620 km/h (330 kn; 390 mph).Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
Reactions
Western news outlets reported on the tragedy promptly, whereas Soviet media delayed coverage by approximately 17 hours. Soviet authorities declined to confirm whether the aircraft involved was an Il-62 or if foreign nationals were among those onboard.[1]
Investigation
The precise cause of the accident remains undetermined. Investigators suggested that the most likely explanation was an unexplained psycho-physiological impairment affecting the crew.[2] Approximately between 500–600 metres (1,600–2,000 ft) altitude and around 25 to 30 seconds before impact, it is believed that the pilots either became incapacitated or lost command of the aircraft.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
See also
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Notes
- ↑ 108 passengers plus 10 crew members.
References
External links
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