Aircraft crash near Olyokminsk resulting in 45 fatalities

45 fatalities • Olyokminsk, Russia • Flight

An aircraft flying from Olyokminsk to Lensk entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a forested area, leaving no survivors among the 45 people on board.

What happened

On the evening of the accident, an aircraft departed from Olyokminsk Airport at 18:10 local time, heading toward its destination of Lensk. Approximately eighteen minutes into the flight, while maintaining a cruising altitude of 4,500 meters, the plane began an uncontrolled descent. The aircraft struck the ground in a near-vertical orientation of roughly 80 degrees within a heavily wooded region situated 92 km west of Olyokminsk.

During the descent, the aircraft experienced partial disintegration in mid-air, which caused debris to be spread across a wide area. There was no evidence of an onboard fire occurring before the final impact with the terrain. The accident resulted in 45 fatalities, with no survivors reported among the occupants.

Findings

Official investigations into the crash were unable to identify a specific cause for the event. Investigators confirmed that there were no engine or equipment failures prior to the descent, nor was there any evidence of an in-flight collision with another object or a fire on board the aircraft.

Probable cause

The exact cause of the uncontrolled descent could not be determined by investigators as no technical failures or external collisions were identified.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1968-01-06 Antonov AN-24 accident near Olyokminsk, Russia?

An aircraft flying from Olyokminsk to Lensk entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a forested area, leaving no survivors among the 45 people on board.

Were there any fatalities in the 1968-01-06 Antonov AN-24 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 45 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1968-01-06 involved a Antonov AN-24, registration CCCP-47733, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, at Olyokminsk, Russia.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The exact cause of the uncontrolled descent could not be determined by investigators as no technical failures or external collisions were identified.

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