73 fatalities

Aircraft Crash Near Gabare Following Emergency Return to Sofia-Vrazhdebna Airport (LZ-TUB)

Gabare, BulgariaFlight

On March 16, 1978, a Tupolev TU-134 (registration LZ-TUB) operated by Balkan Bulgarian Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Gabare, Bulgaria in flight. 73 people were killed. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed in an open field near Gabare after losing control at 4,900 meters during an emergency return to Sofia-Vrazhdebna Airport, killing all 73 occupants.

Incident Overview and Emergency Declaration Following takeoff from Sofia-Vrazhdebna Airport, the flight crew reported an unexpected situation to air traffic control. In response to the reported emergency, the crew was cleared to return to the airport for an emergency landing. The specific nature of the unexpected situation was not detailed in the available source material. ## Loss of Control and Crash Sequence The aircraft lost control at an altitude of 4,900 meters. Following the loss of control, the aircraft entered a spin and subsequently crashed in an open field located near the village of Gabare. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. ## Casualties and Outcome All 73 occupants on board the aircraft were killed in the crash. The source does not provide additional details regarding the aircraft type, registration, operator, or specific cause of the initial unexpected situation.