Runway Collision Between Antonov AN-12 and Mil Mi-24 During Takeoff

Incident Overview A four-engine Antonov AN-12 was operating a military cargo flight from Kabul to Tashkent with 13 passengers and six crew members aboard. The aircraft was positioned on the runway awaiting takeoff clearance when a collision occurred with a Soviet Air Force Mil Mi-24 helicopter. ## Sequence of Events Air traffic control cleared the Mil Mi-24 crew to take off from the center of the runway. Shortly afterward, in what was described as a period of confusion, ATC issued a takeoff clearance to the AN-12 crew. During the takeoff roll, the AN-12 pilot observed the helicopter and initiated rotation. A wing of the AN-12 struck one of the helicopter's propellers, causing the aircraft to crash and catch fire. ## Casualties One passenger aboard the AN-12 survived the accident; the remaining 18 occupants were killed. All six individuals on board the Mil Mi-24 sustained injuries. ## Probable Cause The official investigation determined that the AN-12 crew was using the same flight number as the helicopter, which created confusion for air traffic control. When the helicopter crew received its takeoff clearance, ATC mistakenly believed the subsequent clearance was a repetition for the same aircraft and issued it to the AN-12 crew seconds later.