12 fatalities

Crew Error in Weather Decision Leads to Mountain Crash (CCCP-05604)

Alekseyevka, KazakhstanFlight

On May 11, 1967, an Antonov AN-2 (registration CCCP-05604) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Alekseyevka, Kazakhstan in flight. 12 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew exercised poor judgment and took the wrong decision while continuing the flight into adverse weather conditions and below-minima visibility. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

On a flight from Ust-Kamenogorsk to Alekseyevka, a crew continued into below-minima weather, deviated 6 km, and crashed into Mt Aina-Sulak, killing both pilots and 10 passengers.

Incident Overview

An aircraft operating a flight from Ust-Kamenogorsk to Alekseyevka encountered below-minima weather conditions, including low clouds and rain. The crew entered clouds and deviated from the prescribed flight path by 6 km. The decision to return was made too late, and the aircraft crashed at an elevation of 970 metres into the steep slope of Mt Aina-Sulak, which has a height of 1,121 metres. The accident site was located 21 km southwest of Alekseyevka.

Casualties

Both pilots and all 10 passengers on board were killed in the crash.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined that the probable cause was the crew's poor judgment and wrong decision to continue the flight into adverse weather conditions and below-minima visibility.