Aeroflot Flight 2420

Aeroflot

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

Aeroflot Flight 2420 was a scheduled passenger service operating between Leningrad-Shosseynaya Airport and Moscow-Sheremetyevo. On April 23, 1973, a passenger hijacked the aircraft, insisting on diverting to Stockholm, Sweden. While the crew was maneuvering to return to Leningrad, the hijacker triggered an explosive device, resulting in his own death along with that of the flight mechanic, who had exited the cockpit to engage with the hijacker.

Aircraft

The aircraft involved was a Tupolev Tu-104B bearing registration СССР-42505. It was produced in 1960 at the Kazan Aviation Factory No.22 and powered by two Mikulin AM-3M-500 engines. At the time of the event, this airplane had accumulated a total of 17,095 flight hours and experienced 10,698 pressurization cycles.

Hijacking

The flight crew included pilot-in-command V. M. Yanchenko, co-pilot V. M. Krivulin, navigator N. F. Shirokov, flight mechanic V. G. Gryaznov, and flight attendants L. Eremin and M. Khokhreva.

The departure occurred at 14:25 with fifty adult passengers and one child onboard. By 14:38, the crew reported reaching an altitude of approximately 7,800 m (25,600 ft). Soon after, a passenger handed a note to a flight attendant requesting it be delivered to the cockpit crew. Acting on this, PIC Yanchenko instructed flight mechanic Gryaznov to leave the cockpit.

The letter stated:

Take five minutes to read! To the commander and crew of this aircraft: Dear pilots! I demand that you redirect this plane to Sweden’s Stockholm Airport. Complying with my request will save your lives as well as mine. Those who forced me into this act will be held responsible for their crimes. After safely landing, I am willing to return home following a personal meeting with representatives from the highest authorities of the USSR. You see a weapon in my possession containing 2 kg and 100 g of explosives used in mining operations—there is no need for explanations about what this charge entails. Therefore, do not attempt to provoke me by ignoring my demand. Any risk will result in crashing this plane. Be certain of this because every detail has been carefully calculated.

The hijacker was identified as Ivan Bidyuk, a 47-year-old man from the Ukrainian SSR with a prior criminal record. He was armed with a pistol and carried a hand grenade. Although PIC Yanchenko was equipped with a firearm for emergencies, he refrained from using it due to Bidyuk’s possession of explosives. Yanchenko had also received orders to take all necessary actions to thwart the hijacking.

While discussions were ongoing in the cockpit regarding how to handle the situation, Bidyuk entered carrying the bomb. The pilots activated the "distress" signal and established communication with air traffic control. Initially, both navigator and flight mechanic attempted to subdue the hijacker; however, only the navigator returned to the cockpit while Gryaznov remained outside trying to negotiate with Bidyuk.

Due to insufficient fuel reserves, landing at Helsinki was not feasible. The hijacker insisted on flying to Stockholm; however, permission from Leningrad ATC for such diversion was not granted. Consequently, PIC Yanchenko resolved to land back at Leningrad.

At an altitude between 120–140 m (390–460 ft), when the landing gear was lowered, Bidyuk realized that Flight 2420 was approaching Leningrad rather than Stockholm and detonated his explosive device. The aircraft touched down approximately thirty seconds after the blast; its nose gear collapsed causing it to skid before coming to rest.

The explosion resulted in fatalities of both Ivan Bidyuk and flight mechanic Gryaznov.

Aftermath

In recognition of their bravery during the hijacking incident, the crew members received the following honors:

• Commander V. M. Yanchenko was decorated with the Order of Lenin and awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union
• Flight mechanic V. G. Gryaznov was posthumously honored as a Hero of the Soviet Union
• First officer V. M. Krivulin received the Order of the Red Banner
• Navigator N. F. Shirokov was also bestowed with the Order of the Red Banner
• Flight attendants L. Eremina and M. Khokhreva were each awarded the Order of the Red Star

In Aviagorodok (St. Petersburg), a public park bears Gryaznov’s name as a tribute to his heroism.

See also

• List of aircraft hijackings
• Aeroflot accidents and incidents in the 1970s