6 fatalities

1979-12-09: Antonov AN-12 — Soviet Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily CCCP — Chirchik AFB (Tashkent), Uzbekistan

Chirchik AFB (Tashkent), UzbekistanTakeoff (climb)

On December 9, 1979, an Antonov AN-12 operated by Soviet Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily CCCP was involved in an aviation accident near Chirchik AFB (Tashkent), Uzbekistan during takeoff. 6 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew fed the air pressure of Tashkent-Vostochny too early into the altimeters and lost orientation after takeoff. 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 1781224505Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft on a short flight from Chirchik AFB to Tashkent-Vostochny crashed into a mountain slope 15 km south of Chirchik. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Incident

On a short flight from Chirchik Air Force Base to Tashkent-Vostochny Airport, covering a distance of 27 kilometers, the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff. The accident occurred at an altitude of 980 meters on a mountain slope located approximately 15 kilometers south of Chirchik AFB. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the impact, and all six occupants on board were killed.

Investigation and Probable Cause

According to official findings, the probable cause of the accident was that the crew set the altimeters to the air pressure of Tashkent-Vostochny too early after takeoff. This premature adjustment led to a loss of orientation, resulting in the aircraft being too low and impacting the terrain.