What happened
During a flight in February 1958, an aircraft operating between the Komsomolskaya Ice Station and the Mirny Ice Station suffered a total loss of power. While navigating the Antarctic region at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters above sea level, both engines experienced flameouts. This loss of propulsion forced the crew to perform an emergency crash landing on the ice-shield.
The aircraft came to rest roughly 80 km away from the decommissioned Vostok-1 Ice Station. Despite the severity of the impact, there were no fatalities or injuries reported among the crew members involved in the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the dual engine failure determined that the event was triggered by a procedural oversight. The crew failed to properly adjust the fuel tank selector switch during the flight, which led to the simultaneous flameout of both engines.