14 fatalities

Crew Decision to Continue Into Clouds Leads to Controlled Flight Into Terrain, Killing 14 (CCCP-41971)

Khovu-Aksy, RussiaFlight

On August 26, 1969, an Antonov AN-2 (registration CCCP-41971) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Khovu-Aksy, Russia in flight. 14 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew took the decision to continue into clouds without any visual contact with the ground or obstacles. Controlled flight into terrain. Weather conditions were considered as worse than predicted. 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 Kyzyl to Khovu-Aksy, the crew encountered below-minima weather and continued into clouds, striking a wooded mountain slope. The wreckage was found a day later; all 14 occupants were killed.

Accident Overview

A flight from Kyzyl to Khovu-Aksy encountered below-minima weather conditions, with low clouds over the mountainous terrain. The captain decided to continue the flight into the clouds. The aircraft subsequently struck a wooded mountain slope at a speed of 200 km/h and at an altitude of 1,940 metres. The mountain, which rises to 2,591 metres, was located 13 km south of Khovu-Aksy.

Wreckage Discovery

The wreckage was located one day after the accident. All 14 occupants on board were killed.

Probable Cause

According to the official findings, the probable cause was the crew's decision to continue into clouds without any visual contact with the ground or obstacles, resulting in controlled flight into terrain. The weather conditions were considered to be worse than predicted.