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Cargo Flight Crash in Leninakan Due to Altimeter Error (CCCP-76466)

Leninakan, ArmeniaLanding (descent or approach)

On October 20, 1989, an Ilyushin II-76 (registration CCCP-76466) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Leninakan, Armenia during landing or approach. 15 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident resulted from multiple factors: incorrect altimeter setting (736 mm Hg instead of 637 mm Hg), failure to use radio altimeters, failure to respond to the flight engineer's recommendation to climb, the instructor captain's first flight into… This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered CCCP-76466
Aircraft registered CCCP-76466. Photo: Pavel Kirillov from St.Petersburg, Russia / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A four-engine cargo aircraft crashed into a mountain near Leninakan after the crew set altimeters incorrectly. All 15 occupants were killed in the accident.

Flight Details and Accident Sequence A four-engine aircraft departed Ulyanovsk on a cargo flight to Leninakan. The aircraft carried 5 passengers, 10 crew members, and 37.2 tons of construction materials and tools. During the approach, the crew was cleared to descend to 3,300 meters. Air traffic control then transmitted the airport pressure as 637 mm Hg. The crew misunderstood this value and set the altimeters to 736 mm Hg, creating a 1,100-meter discrepancy. The aircraft continued its approach with a vertical speed of 10 meters per second. In limited visibility at night, the aircraft passed below the glide path. At an altitude of 270 meters, the ground proximity warning system (GPWS) alarm sounded. The flight engineer recognized the error and informed the captain 19 seconds after the first alarm. For unknown reasons, the pilot did not initiate corrective action. Ten seconds later, the aircraft struck a mountain at 440 km/h and disintegrated on impact. All 15 occupants were killed.

Probable cause

The accident resulted from multiple factors: incorrect altimeter setting (736 mm Hg instead of 637 mm Hg), failure to use radio altimeters, failure to respond to the flight engineer's recommendation to climb, the instructor captain's first flight into Leninakan, the student pilot's first flight on an Il-76, poor crew resource management, and lack of crew training on GPWS warning procedures.
Controlled flight into terrain

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