What happened
During a flight departing from runway 21 at Pushkin AFB, an aircraft carrying senior naval personnel experienced a catastrophic failure during the initial climb. Approximately eight seconds after liftoff, while the plane was ascending to an altitude of roughly 50 meters in light snowfall, it entered a right bank and overturned. The subsequent impact resulted in a massive explosion near the airfield.
The flight was transporting numerous high-ranking officers from the Pacific Fleet from Leningrad to Vladivostok, with a scheduled stop in Khabarovsk. The disaster claimed the lives of all 50 occupants, including 16 admirals and generals. Among those killed were the commander of the Pacific Fleet and his spouse.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical contributing factors related to weight and balance. It was determined that the crew permitted an improper loading configuration on the aircraft. Evidence suggested that certain military officers failed to adhere to designated seating assignments and exerted pressure on the flight crew to proceed with the departure despite unsafe conditions.
Furthermore, investigators found that large rolls of paper were stored on board. During the takeoff acceleration, these items reportedly rolled toward the rear of the plane. This movement caused the center of gravity to shift beyond acceptable aft limits, which compromised the aircraft's longitudinal stability and prevented the crew from maintaining control of the aircraft's pitch.