Soviet Aircraft Collision with Mount Kushtang in 1960 (CCCP-91577)

Incident Overview and Search Operations On 19 January 1960, Soviet authorities officially announced an aviation accident involving an aircraft that had lost contact while cruising at 3,600 meters. At 0927 local time, the radio operator informed air traffic control that the aircraft was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) and had sighted Derbent. One minute later, while in clouds, the aircraft struck the southeast slope of Mount Kushtang, located approximately 27 kilometers northeast of Boysun. Search and rescue operations were initiated but suspended a few days later after no trace of the aircraft or its 30 occupants was found. All operations were abandoned one month after the incident. On 2 June 1960, alpinists discovered the wreckage in a rocky and craggy area at an altitude of 3,501 meters. The passenger manifest included two Chinese nationals, three German nationals, and the remainder were Soviet soldiers and their family members.