Aeroflot Flight 3012

Aeroflot Flight 3012 was a domestic service operated by Aeroflot on 31 December 1970, flying from Leningrad to Yerevan aboard an Ilyushin Il-18 that crashed during its initial climb.

Efforts were made to keep the incident confidential; however, approximately one week later, Western airlines reported the crash after receiving information from Aeroflot staff. Initial accounts claimed all 88 individuals on board perished. The official Russian investigation later confirmed that six of the 86 occupants lost their lives.

Aircraft and occupants

The aircraft involved was an Ilyushin Il-18V approximately nine years old, with registration CCCP-75773 and construction number 182004505, powered by four Ivchenko AI-20 engines.

Accident

During takeoff, the Il-18 ascended at an unusually steep angle while exhibiting lateral rolling motions, maintaining an altitude between 30 and 50 m over the first 2,500 m of flight. Subsequently, it banked sharply to the right and began descending. The tail struck a snow-covered field as the plane descended at a critical angle of attack. The aircraft impacted nose-first and slid forward approximately 210 m.

Aftermath

Russian media did not report on the accident. On 6 January, Western airlines operating in Moscow disclosed news of the crash. Aeroflot sources reportedly became aware of the accident only by 8 January. According to UPI, Soviet authorities typically concealed aircraft accidents unless foreign nationals were involved. Initial reports published on 6 January, six days post-crash, indicated at least two fatalities—the pilot and copilot. Later reports suggested that all 88 passengers and crew had died. The Aviation Safety Network confirms that six out of the 86 people on board were killed.

Cause

The investigation revealed that the flight crew neglected to set the flaps before initiating takeoff, a mistake attributed to the rushed departure.