What happened
During arrival procedures at Tula Airport, an Aeroflot aircraft lost control while attempting to land. The plane veered off the active runway and entered the path of a Soviet Air Force aircraft that was positioned on the airfield awaiting clearance for takeoff to Berlin. The subsequent impact between the two planes triggered massive explosions.
Findings
- The collision resulted in 70 fatalities across both aircraft.
- There were 36 deaths aboard the Aeroflot flight and 34 deaths on the military aircraft, which included 30 Army cadets.
- The precise sequence of events leading to the loss of control on the runway remains undetermined.