Mid-Air Collision Near Vologda Involving Two Aeroflot Aircraft (CCCP-96226)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On the day of the accident, an aircraft departed Vologda Airport at 1104 local time on a cargo flight bound for Saint Petersburg. The aircraft was carrying seven boxes of fish with a total weight of 1,020 kilograms. Approximately ten minutes after departure, the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 200 meters and a speed of 173 km/h in limited visibility caused by snowfall. ## Collision and Aftermath During this flight, the aircraft collided mid-air with another Aeroflot PZL-Mielec AN-2, registered CCCP-09667. The second aircraft was en route from Ust-Kubinsk to Vologda and was carrying 12 passengers and a crew of two. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed in a swampy area located 23 kilometers north of Vologda. The wreckage of the two aircraft was found 220 meters apart. All 16 occupants across both aircraft were killed in the accident. ## Official Findings The official investigation identified the probable cause as low visibility and poor weather conditions due to snowfall, combined with poor air traffic control assistance and inadequate decisions.