7 fatalities

1989-08-10: Ilyushin II-76 (CCCP-86718) — Soviet Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily CCCP — Novgorod, Russia

Novgorod, RussiaFlight

On August 10, 1989, an Ilyushin II-76 (registration CCCP-86718) operated by Soviet Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily CCCP was involved in an aviation accident near Novgorod, Russia in flight. 7 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: It is believed that the electrical system failed in flight, maybe after the aircraft has been struck by lightning. At the time of the accident, visibility was limited due to poor weather conditions. 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 1781213799Data APIEditorial standards

A training aircraft from Krechevitsky AFB experienced an electrical system failure, entered a dive, and crashed, killing all seven crew members. The accident likely involved a lightning strike and poor weather conditions leading to spatial disorientation.

Accident Details

The crew departed Krechevitsky Air Force Base on a local training flight. After dropping several materials at low altitude, the crew attempted to gain altitude when technical problems with the electrical system were encountered. The aircraft nosed up to an angle of 26 degrees, climbing from 940 meters to 1,300 meters in a few seconds. Suddenly, it adopted a nose-down attitude of 55 degrees, entered a dive, and crashed at a speed of 570 km/h. The wreckage was found between the villages of Rogavka and Kerest, approximately 32 km northwest of the airbase. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, and all seven crew members were killed.

Probable Cause

According to official findings, it is believed that the electrical system failed in flight, possibly after the aircraft was struck by lightning. At the time of the accident, visibility was limited due to poor weather conditions. After the electrical system failed, the pilot-in-command suffered spatial disorientation and lost control of the airplane.