No fatalities

Crew Evacuates After Landing Short at Vorkuta Airport (CCCP-61778)

Vorkuta, RussiaLanding (descent or approach)

On December 8, 1959, an Ilyushin II-14 (registration CCCP-61778) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Vorkuta, Russia during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Wrong altimeter setting on the part of the flying crew who received wrong atmospheric pressure value from the ground, causing the aircraft to be too low on approach in poor weather conditions. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 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

An aircraft on final approach to Vorkuta Airport struck the ground short of the runway threshold in low visibility. All five crew members evacuated safely; the aircraft was written off. Investigation cited wrong altimeter setting due to incorrect pressure data from ground.

Incident Overview

On final approach to Vorkuta Airport, the flight crew encountered poor weather conditions. In low visibility, the aircraft descended too low and struck the ground a few dozen yards short of the runway threshold. The aircraft was subsequently written off, but all five crew members aboard were evacuated without reported injuries.

Investigation Findings

The official investigation determined that the probable cause was a wrong altimeter setting on the part of the flying crew, who had received an incorrect atmospheric pressure value from the ground. This error caused the aircraft to be too low on approach in poor weather conditions.

Aftermath

The aircraft sustained substantial damage and was considered a total loss. Emergency services responded, and the crew successfully exited the aircraft. No other details regarding the aircraft type or registration were provided in the source.