1 fatality

Hijacking Attempt on Flight from Leningrad to Tallinn Leads to Fire and Emergency Landing (CCCP-L2048)

Jõhvi, EstoniaFlight

On September 5, 1958, an Avia 14 (registration CCCP-L2048) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Jõhvi, Estonia in flight. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Hijacked and set on fire. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A hijacker, unable to enter the cockpit, detonated an artisanal bomb, causing a fire. The crew performed a steep descent from 900 meters and executed an emergency landing at Jõhvi Airport. All passengers and crew evacuated unharmed; the hijacker was killed.

Incident Details

While cruising on a flight from Leningrad to Tallinn, a passenger handed a message to a stewardess intended for the flight crew, but the nature of the request remains unclear. The individual, unable to gain access to the cockpit, proceeded to detonate an artisanal bomb, resulting in a fire igniting in the passenger cabin. At an altitude of 900 meters, the flight crew initiated a steep descent and subsequently performed an emergency landing at Jõhvi Airport.

Aftermath

Upon landing, all crew members and passengers successfully evacuated the cabin and were uninjured. The hijacker was killed when the aircraft was destroyed by the fire. The official probable cause attributes the event to the hijacking and subsequent fire.