What happened
The incident involved an Ilyushin Il-12 that was originally parked at Khodynka. The aircraft was scheduled for transfer to Tbilisi by an Aeroflot crew based in Georgia; however, this team arrived too late to handle the operation. Consequently, a crew from the Uzbekistan Aeroflot Division assumed control of the aircraft for a transfer flight to Tashkent.
After takeoff, the pilot failed to notify Air Traffic Control (ATC) regarding a planned route modification. The aircraft deviated from its assigned path and continued flying at an insufficient altitude. During this maneuver, it collided with an Aeroflot Douglas DC-6 registered CCCP-L861. The Douglas had just departed Moscow-Vnukovo Airport and was in the climb-out phase, heading toward Moscow-Bykovo Airport.
Both aircraft crashed into a wooded area located approximately 6 km southeast of the airport in Valuevo. The impact destroyed both planes, resulting in all 12 occupants being killed. The Douglas DC-6 was carrying four passengers and four crew members.
Findings
The official investigation concluded that the accident resulted from an incorrect decision by the Ilyushin Il-12 crew. The pilot altered the flight route without obtaining prior permission from ATC, leading to the mid-air collision.