Incident Overview
On a night approach to Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, a Romanian Government-operated aircraft carrying a delegation from Romania crashed in a wooded area approximately 500 meters short of the runway and 130 meters left of the extended centerline. The aircraft, which bore the color scheme of TAROM but was not operated by the airline, was en route from Bucharest to Moscow with an intermediate stop at Kiev.
Sequence of Events
After clearing the inner marker, the pilot established visual contact with the runway lights and continued the approach. Air Traffic Control (ATC) then contacted the crew, instructing them to maintain altitude, as their current height was deemed insufficient. Shortly thereafter, at an altitude of about 10 to 15 meters, the aircraft struck trees and crashed into a forested area.
Casualties and Injuries
Three crew members and one passenger, Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gregore Preoteasa, were killed in the accident. Twelve other occupants sustained injuries, including future Romanian President Nicolae Ceaucescu.
Official Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the accident resulted from a succession of errors by the flight crew during the final approach, which was continued at an insufficient altitude. The pilot-in-command decided to proceed with the approach despite a warning from ATC, relying on visual contact with the runway lights. Low visibility and insufficient height led to the aircraft striking trees and crashing. A lack of training and competency analysis was cited as a contributing factor.