Aeroflot Flight 2230

Aeroflot

Industry	Airline
Founded	1923
Headquarters	Moscow , Soviet Union
Products	Air transport services

Template:Infobox aircraft occurrence Aeroflot Flight 2230 was a domestic Soviet passenger service operating between Yekaterinburg (then Sverdlovsk) and Tashkent. On 16 November 1967, the flight's Ilyushin Il-18 aircraft crashed shortly after departing, resulting in the loss of all 107 individuals on board, including twelve children. At that time, this incident represented the deadliest aviation disaster within the Russian SFSR and was the most severe accident involving an Il-18 aircraft.

Aircraft

The flight utilized an Ilyushin Il-18V turboprop airplane, which had been produced on 25 March 1964 bearing the serial number 184007002. The plane's first flight and entry into service occurred during the same year. At the time of the crash, it had accumulated a total of 5,326 flight hours and completed 2,111 flight cycles.

Crew

The operating crew included captain Yuri Abaturov as pilot in command, co-pilot Nikolai Mikhaylov, navigator Anatoly Zagorsky, flight engineer Viktor Ospishchev, and radio operator Yuri Yefremov.

Accident

Soon after lifting off from Sverdlovsk’s Koltsovo Airport (now known as Ekaterinburg), one engine caught fire and its propeller failed to feather properly. This created significant drag, making control difficult at maximum takeoff weight. While climbing at approximately 340–350 km/h (180–190 kn) and reaching an altitude near 140–150 m (460–490 ft), the crew lost command of the aircraft around 200 m (660 ft) altitude. The Il-18 subsequently crashed into a cultivated field with a right bank angle of 37 degrees at a speed near 440 km/h (240 kn) at 21:02 local time. The impact caused total disintegration of the airplane, which complicated the investigation process. Additionally, fires broke out at the crash location.