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Aircraft Crash Near Leninabad Airport (CCCP-75712)

Leninabad, TajikistanFlight

On February 24, 1973, an Ilyushin II-18 (registration CCCP-75712) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Leninabad, Tajikistan in flight. 79 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the loss of control, that occurred just after the automatic pilot system has been deactivated, was caused by the failure of an attitude indicator was not… This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 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 crashed after losing control following autopilot deactivation. The left wing separated due to high g-loads, and all 79 occupants were killed.

Incident Overview and Sequence of Events During cruise at an altitude of 6,600 meters, the crew received permission to descend to 4,500 meters. At that moment, the automatic pilot system was deactivated. The aircraft then banked left to an angle of 90 degrees and entered a dive. At an altitude of 2,200 meters, excessive g loads caused the left wing to separate, and the aircraft caught fire. The out-of-control aircraft crashed at a speed of 840 km/h in an open field located 8.4 km southeast of Buston Station, about 38 km northwest of Leninabad Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, and all 79 occupants were killed.

Probable cause

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the loss of control, that occurred just after the automatic pilot system has been deactivated, was caused by the failure of an attitude indicator was not ruled out.

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Same operator

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