Ilyushin II-12 accident at Kabansk, Russia, 25 Aug 1949 (CCCP-L1844)
On August 25, 1949, an Ilyushin II-12 (registration CCCP-L1844) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Kabansk, Russia in flight. 14 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: No technical issue or findings were found with the aircraft or its equipment, instruments or components. Investigations were unable to determine the reason why the crew was flying at the altitude of 1,400 meters, below the assigned flight level. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
Probable cause
No technical issue or findings were found with the aircraft or its equipment, instruments or components. Investigations were unable to determine the reason why the crew was flying at the altitude of 1,400 meters, below the assigned flight level. In such conditions, it was considered that the accident was caused by a controlled flight into terrain.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
On the left from Irkutsk to Chita, while cruising by night at an assigned altitude of 3,000 meters, the crew encountered icing conditions and received the permission to reduce his altitude to 2,400 meters. Few minutes later, at 0512LT, the crew contacted ATC but was asked to standby because the frequency and the ATC was busy. Two minutes later, while an altitude of 1,400 meters, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed 150 meters further in a wooded area located on the slope of the Kabanya Mountain (1,479 meters high). The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 14 occupants were killed, among them probably some members of the self-proclaimed government of the East Turkestan Republic.
Probable cause (official findings): No technical issue or findings were found with the aircraft or its equipment, instruments or components. Investigations were unable to determine the reason why the crew was flying at the altitude of 1,400 meters, below the assigned flight level. In such conditions, it was considered that the accident was caused by a controlled flight into terrain.