30 fatalities

Aviation Incident: Four-Engine Aircraft Crash Involving Military Personnel

Petrel-Burevestnik (Iturup Island, Kuril Islands), RussiaFlight

On November 11, 1983, an Antonov AN-12 operated by Soviet Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily CCCP was involved in an aviation accident near Petrel-Burevestnik (Iturup Island, Kuril Islands), Russia in flight. 30 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A four-engine aircraft carrying soldiers crashed shortly after takeoff from Petrel-Burevestnik. The wreckage was located in January 1984, resulting in the deaths of all 30 occupants.

Incident Overview

A four-engine airplane was operating a flight transporting military personnel. The route originated at Petrel-Burevestnik and was scheduled to terminate at Khurba. The flight plan included intermediate stops at Sokol AFB (Dolinsk) and Smirnykh.

Accident Circumstances

The aircraft departed from the origin airport but failed to reach its intended destination. According to available records, the crash occurred just minutes after takeoff. The specific circumstances leading to the accident remain unknown. The impact site was located in an isolated area, which contributed to the delay in discovery.

Search and Recovery

Because the aircraft did not arrive at its scheduled destination, search and rescue (SAR) operations were immediately initiated. Despite these efforts, the wreckage was not found until January 1984. Upon recovery of the site, it was confirmed that all 30 individuals on board perished in the incident.