Aircraft crash near Chirchik Air Base

6 fatalities • Chirchik AFB (Tashkent), Uzbekistan • Takeoff (climb)

A flight departing from Chirchik Air Base crashed into a mountainside during its initial climb, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

On the short flight path between Chirchik AFB and Tashkent-Vostochny, an aircraft crashed into a mountain slope approximately 15 km south of the departure airfield. The incident occurred at an altitude of 980 meters during the early stages of the flight. The distance between the two airfields involved in this mission is roughly 27 km.

The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused six fatalities among the occupants. There were no survivors reported from the crew or passengers on board.

Findings

Investigations into the accident revealed that the flight crew had incorrectly updated their altimeters with the barometric pressure settings for Tashkent-Vostochny too soon after departure. This premature adjustment led to a loss of situational awareness regarding altitude during the climb, causing the aircraft to fly at an insufficient height relative to the terrain.

Probable cause

The crew lost vertical orientation because they applied the destination airport's pressure settings to their altimeters prematurely during takeoff.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1979-12-09 Antonov AN-12 accident near Chirchik AFB (Tashkent), Uzbekistan?

A flight departing from Chirchik Air Base crashed into a mountainside during its initial climb, resulting in no survivors.

Were there any fatalities in the 1979-12-09 Antonov AN-12 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 6 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1979-12-09 involved a Antonov AN-12, operated by Soviet Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily CCCP, at Chirchik AFB (Tashkent), Uzbekistan.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The crew lost vertical orientation because they applied the destination airport's pressure settings to their altimeters prematurely during takeoff.

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