Aeroflot Flight 331

Aeroflot

Industry	Aviation
Founded	1923
Headquarters	Moscow , Soviet Union
Products	Air transport services
Website	www.aeroflot.ru

Template:Infobox Aircraft occurrence Aeroflot Flight 331 was an international passenger service operated by an Ilyushin Il-62M that crashed approximately 1 km (0.62 mi) from José Martí International Airport in Havana, Cuba on 27 May 1977. The accident happened when the plane struck power lines during its final approach amid unfavorable weather conditions. The aircraft was conducting an emergency landing prompted by an engine fire. Out of the 69 individuals aboard, only two survived. The investigation attributed the cause primarily to pilot error.

Aircraft

The airplane involved was an Ilyushin Il-62M, bearing registration CCCP-86614, and operated by Aeroflot’s International Civil Aviation Directorate. Prior to the accident, it had accumulated 5,549 flight hours and completed 1,144 cycles. This aircraft was delivered to Aeroflot in 1975.

Passengers and crew

Following a layover in Lisbon, Portugal, a fresh crew assumed control of the flight. The cockpit team consisted of Captain Viktor Orlov, First Officer Vasily Shevelev, Navigator Anatoly Vorobyov, Flight Engineer Yuri Suslov, and Radio Operator Evgeniy Pankov. Additionally, five flight attendants were on board.

Nationality	Passengers	Crew	Total
Soviet Union	28	10	38
United Kingdom	12	0	12
Cuba	8	0	8
Sweden	3	0	3
Australia	2	0	2
Guinea-Bissau	2	0	2
West Germany	2	0	2
Mexico	1	0	1
Netherlands	1	0	1
Total	59	10	69Template:Unreliable source?

Sequence of events

Flight 331 departed Lisbon Airport at 03:32 UTC, ascending to an altitude of 35,000 feet (11,000 m). During the approach to Havana, the flight crew reported receiving inaccurate altitude and air pressure indications. Clearance was then given to descend from 35,000 to 15,000 feet (10,700 to 4,600 m), followed by a further descent down to 3,000 feet (910 m). At that moment, cumulus clouds were present, visibility measured approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi; 4.3 nmi), with dense fog at around 40 metres (130 ft). Atmospheric pressure registered at 758 mmHg (0.997 atm), and the temperature was near 21 °C (70 °F). At 8:45:28 local time (12:45:28 UTC), while still about 1,270 metres (1.27 km; 0.79 mi) from the runway, the pilots identified four power lines positioned roughly 28 metres (92 ft) above ground level. In an effort to avoid them, they increased the aircraft’s nose pitch. Despite this maneuver, all four lines were struck between 23–25 metres (75–82 ft) altitude, resulting in the severing of the stabilizer and the right outboard wing flaps. This damage caused an abrupt 70° bank to the right within three seconds. Subsequently, the aircraft impacted the ground with its right wing and nose section and ignited, leading to its destruction. Only the tail section remained intact.

Among those on board, only two individuals survived: a woman from West Germany and a man from the Soviet Union. One of the deceased was José Carlos Schwarz, a poet and musician originating from Guinea-Bissau.

Investigation

The inquiry uncovered critical mistakes made by the flight crew during the final phase of the flight. The primary factor contributing to the crash was a clear breach of established approach procedures, compounded by miscalculations in altitude that produced erroneous readings and led to an untimely descent. Additionally, the crew’s decision to attempt a visual approach amid dense fog was identified as a significant error. The investigation also highlighted improper operation of the radio altimeter by the pilots.Template:Fix/category

See also

• Aeroflot accidents and incidents in the 1970s

Further reading

• "Flight Safety 1977 – Fatal accidents: Scheduled flights". Flight International: 182. 21 January 1978. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.