1979 Dniprodzerzhynsk mid-air collision

1979 Dniprodzerzhynsk mid-air collision
	A Tupolev Tu-134A operated by Aeroflot that was similar to both aircraft involved in the accident
Accident
Date	11 August 1979
Summary	Mid-air collision due to ATC errors
Site	Near Dniprodzerzhynsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union ; 48°35′18″N34°39′22″E / 48.58833°N 34.65611°E
Total fatalities	178
Total survivors	0
First aircraft
Type	Tupolev Tu-134A
Operator	Aeroflot
IATA flight No.	SU7628
ICAO flight No.	AFL7628
Call sign	AEROFLOT 7628
Registration	СССР-65816
Flight origin	Voronezh Airport, Russian SFSR
Destination	Chișinău Airport, Moldavian SSR
Occupants	94
Passengers	88
Crew	6
Fatalities	94
Survivors	0
Second aircraft
Type	Tupolev Tu-134AK
Operator	Aeroflot
IATA flight No.	SU7880
ICAO flight No.	AFL7880
Call sign	AEROFLOT 7880
Registration	СССР-65735
Flight origin	Donetsk Airport, Ukrainian SSR
Destination	Minsk-1 International Airport, Belarusian SSR
Occupants	84
Passengers	77
Crew	7
Fatalities	84
Survivors	0

Last updated January 14, 2025

On 11 August 1979, a mid-air collision occurred over the Ukrainian SSR, near the city of Dniprodzerzhynsk (now Kamianske). The aircraft involved were both Tupolev Tu-134As on scheduled domestic passenger flights, operated by Aeroflot. All 178 people aboard both aircraft died in the accident.

Aircraft

Aeroflot Flight 7628

Aeroflot Flight 7628 was a twin turbofan Tu-134A passenger jet, serial number 4352210 and registration CCCP-65816, that was built at the Kharkiv Aviation Plant in 1974 and which carried out its first flight on 24 March of that year. It was operated by the airline's Moldova division and, at the time of the accident, had logged 12,739 hours and completed 7683 takeoff-landing cycles.^[1]

There were 88 passengers and six crew members on board the Tupolev airliner.^[1]

Aeroflot Flight 7880

Aeroflot Flight 7880 was a Tu-134AK airliner, serial number 1351405 and registration CCCP-65735, that was completed at the Kharkiv aviation plant on 5 November 1971 and which made its first flight later that year. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated 10,753 flight hours through 7075 cycles.^[2]

There were 77 passengers and seven crew members on board the aircraft. Passengers included personnel of the Pakhtakor Football Club.^[2]

Air traffic control

En route to their destinations both aircraft passed through the Kharkiv regional air traffic control (ATC) center airspace. This area was characterized by high traffic density and air traffic controllers often had to carry more than a dozen aircraft simultaneously. This problem had been discussed since the early 1970s, but by the end of the decade the problem had not been solved. The southwest sector, covering from 180° to 255° was especially complex and unpredictable.^[3]

On 11 August 1979, at 07:50 MSK a new shift of air traffic controllers began work, headed by Sergei Sergeev. In the difficult southwest sector he employed an inexperienced 3rd-class controller, 20-year-old Nikolai Zhukovsky, under the supervision of 1st-class controller, 28-year-old Vladimir Alexandrovich Sumy.^[4]^[3]

Adding to the situation that day was that Leonid Brezhnev was embarking on a trip to Crimea. Authorities wanted to give the Soviet leader a clear flight path and this caused considerable disruption of the airline flight operations in the area.^[5]

Accident sequence

At 12:54, Flight 7628 took off from Voronezh airport on the last leg of a domestic scheduled route from Chelyabinsk to Voronezh, then to Kishinev.

At 13:11, Flight 7880 departed Donetsk airport bound for Minsk.

At 13:17:15, Flight 7628 contacted ATC to report it was at flight level (FL) 8,400 metres (27,600 ft) and requested permission to climb to FL 9,600 metres (31,500 ft). Flight 7628 also informed ATC it would reach the Volchansk waypoint at 13:22 and the Krasnohrad waypoint at 13:28, but the controller incorrectly recorded 13:19 to 13:26 respectively, which placed the aircraft ahead of schedule.

At 13:21:43, Flight 7628 re-contacted the ATC center and again requested permission to climb up to 9600 meters, but ATC rejected that request.

At 13:25:48, Flight 7880 bound for Minsk, informed ATC they had departed Donetsk 14 minutes before and were at 5,700 metres (18,700 ft), and that they would reach the Dnipropetrovsk (now the city Dnipro) waypoint at 13:34 and the Kremenchuk waypoint at 13:44. ATC confirmed the location of the aircraft and ordered them to climb to and maintain 7,200 metres (23,600 ft).

At 13:27:50, Flight 7628 contacted ATC and reported that they were over Krasnohrad at FL 8,400 metres (27,600 ft). Flight 7628 then asked controller Zhukovsky for their ground speed and the speed of another Tu-134A identified as 65132, flying at FL 9,600 metres (31,500 ft). Flight 7628 was flying at 830 km/h (450 kn; 520 mph) and aircraft 65132 was at 750 km/h (400 kn; 470 mph). Because of the speed difference ATC refused to let flight 7628 climb to 9600 metres. Flight 7628 confirmed the instructions, although they tried to clarify that they could also slow down after the climb. This was the last radio transmission from Flight 7628.

At 13:30:40, Flight 7880 contacted ATC and reported they were at 7,200 metres (23,600 ft), 25 kilometres (16 mi; 13 nmi) away from the Dnipropetrovsk beacon. The controller confirmed their position and instructed them to climb to 8400 meters. After 3 minutes (13:34:52) Flight 7880 reported at an altitude of 8,400 metres (27,600 ft), at the Dnipropetrovsk beacon. ATC initially incorrectly identified the aircraft on radar and, when they properly identified it ATC realized that it was on a collision course with CCCP-86676 – an Ilyushin Il-62 – at 9000 meters. ATC therefore instructed Flight 7880 to stay at 8400 meters, which was confirmed.

Flight 7628 was flying on Airway 50 (Magdalinovka – Ball, course 201°) and Flight 7880 was on Airway 147 corridor (Dnipropetrovsk – Kremenchuk, course 300°). These corridors intersect at an angle of 99° north-east of Dniprodzerzhynsk. Because of previous errors, the controller's perception of the location of each aircraft was incorrect. When the ATC supervisor heard the radio traffic and saw the aircraft converging on the radar screen he realized the catastrophic situation and attempted to correct it. At 13:34:07 the ATC controller ordered aircraft 86676 (IL-62) from 9,000 to 9,600 metres (29,500 to 31,500 ft). At 13:34:21 ATC controller repeated the order and then directed Flight 7880 from 8400 meters to the now vacant altitude at 9,000 metres (30,000 ft).^[6]

13:34:07 ATC to aircraft 86676"Take 9600."
13:34:21 ATC to aircraft 86676"Take 9600."
13:34:23 ATC to Flight 7880"and you take a 9. Over 8400 Dneprodzerzhinsk crossover."
13:34:25 aircraft 86676 to ATC"9600."
13:34:33 (inaudible.) "Got it ... 8400"

The controller heard a muffled reply and assumed it was an acknowledgement from Flight 7880 – but the muffled transmission was actually from aircraft 86676 and Flight 7880 remained at 8400 meters.^[1]

Collision

Flight 7628 had strayed to the left of the airway by approximately 4 kilometres (2 mi; 2 nmi), while Flight 7880 was to the left by 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi; 0.27 nmi). At 13:35:38 both aircraft suddenly disappeared from ATC radar screens. Zhukovsky tried to contact them, but they did not respond. At 13:37, Igor Chernov, the captain of an Antonov An-2 (CCCP-91734) flying from Cherkasy to Donetsk, reported "Something falls from the sky!".^[4] At 13:40 Chernov reported seeing aircraft parts in the area of Dniprodzerzhynsk (current Kamianske).^[4]

Both aircraft collided in a cloud at an altitude of 8,400 metres (27,600 ft), approximately over Dniprodzerzhynsk. Flight 7880's right wing sliced through Flight 7628's forward fuselage, tearing off part of 7880's right wing, the debris of which was ingested by 7880's right engine. The impact spun 7628 to the right, causing the tails of both aircraft to collide at which time the left engine of 7628 struck the keel of 7880, and 7628's right wing was torn off. Flight 7628 tumbled out of control and broke up, with debris scattered over an area measuring 16 by 3 kilometres (9.9 by 1.9 mi; 8.6 by 1.6 nmi). Damage to 7880 included the loss of most of the empennage, one of the engines and a section of the right wing. The pilots of 7880 attempted an emergency landing, but at an altitude of approximately 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) they lost control and at 13:38 crashed to the ground north-east of Dniprodzerzhynsk, completely destroying the aircraft.^[3]

Investigation

In the subsequent investigation the commission concluded that center of gravity and takeoff weights of both aircraft were within the normal range and that there was no explosion or fire prior to the collision.^[4] The commission also found that maintenance was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the regulations and that the level of training of flight crews of both aircraft, as well as their work experience, were not the cause of the crash.^[4]

When the commission examined the action of the controllers they discovered a series of errors made by Zhukovsky:

Refused Flight 7628's request to climb from 8,400 m (27,600 ft) to 9,600 m (31,500 ft), stating it was in dangerous proximity to aircraft 65132. The interval was 55 km (34 mi) – close to the minimum, although the safety distance between 65132 and Flight 7628 could have been increased by reducing the ground speed of the latter.
Directed Flight 7880 to climb from 7200 meters to 8400 meters, although the crew did not request this. As a result, there was a conflict situation with Flight 7628.
Did not allow aircraft 86676 to climb to 10,200 m (33,500 ft) This would have increased the safety distance between it and aircraft 65132.
Allowed crews to violate radio rules and argue with the manager about the instructions received. Two minutes and 51 seconds before the collision, Zhukovsky began a 47-second argument with the crew of a Ukrainian Yakovlev Yak-40 identified as aircraft 87327, explaining the need for them to go to another altitude.

The investigators also discovered that the more experienced controller, Vladimir Sumy, was in error during the last minutes before the crash, having received a vague answer without a call sign, he did not confirm if the crew of Flight 7880 understood.^[4] Sumy had previously received penalties for violations, including improper communication and phraseology.^[4]

The senior controller, Sergei Sergeev, was found to have complicated the air traffic control environment by changing the responsibilities assigned to personnel, including assigning Sumy to supervise Zhukovsky.^[4]

Nine months after the disaster, a court sentenced controllers Zhukovsky and Sumy to 15 years imprisonment in a penal colony. Sumy served 6.5 years, then was released for good behavior. As of 2008^[update], he lived in Kharkiv.^[5] Zhukovsky reportedly committed suicide. Sergei Sergeev, the chief controller on duty that day, was not prosecuted.^[6]

The final conclusion made by the commission was that "[t]he cause of the disaster were the mistakes and violations of the NPP GA-78 made by manager of the southwestern sector and dispatcher instructor regarding destination tier and providing the established intervals between aircraft compliance phraseology".

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Yukhnov mid-air collision</span> Aviation incident in the Soviet Union

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Aeroflot Flight 1080 was a Soviet domestic passenger flight from Sverdlovsk, Russia, to Dzhambul, Kazakhstan, that crashed at night shortly after takeoff on 7 October 1978. All 38 passengers and crew were killed in the crash which occurred when one of the engines failed due to icing during initial climb out. At the time, the crash was the second worst in the history of the Yakovlev Yak-40, which had entered operational service with Aeroflot just ten years prior.

Aeroflot Flight 2022 was a scheduled Soviet domestic passenger flight between Vilnius Airport in Lithuanian SSR and Moscow–Vnukovo Airport in Russian SFSR, that crashed on 16 December 1973, killing all 51 people on board. The flight suffered a loss of control as a result of a malfunction of its elevator, causing it to crash as it made its final descent into Moscow. At the time of the crash, it was the worst accident in aviation history involving a Tupolev Tu-124 since it entered service with Aeroflot in 1962.

On Sunday 3 August 1969 an Antonov An-24 operating Aeroflot Flight N-826 crashed resulting in the death of all 55 people on board. An investigation revealed the cause of the accident was an in flight failure of the propeller attached to "No. 1" (left) engine.

Aeroflot Flight U-45 was a passenger flight operated by an Ilyushin Il-18 that crashed during the approach to Samarkand on Friday, 6 February 1970, resulting in the death of 92 of the 106 people on board. An investigation revealed the aircraft went below the minimum obstacle clearance altitude (MOCA) during approach to Samarkand International Airport.

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Aeroflot Flight 1661 was a passenger flight operated by an Antonov An-24 that crashed during its initial climb, 25 minutes after take-off from Tolmachevo Airport on 1 April 1970. All 45 people on board perished. An investigation revealed that the Antonov collided with a radiosonde, causing a loss of control.

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References

1 2 3 "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network (ASN). Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
1 2 "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network (ASN). Archived from the original on 25 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
1 2 3 "Remaining in heaven". ua-football.com. 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Muromov, Igor (2003). 100 great plane crashes. Veche. p. 528. ISBN 5-9533-0029-8.
1 2 Appell, James (15 September 2011). "The day Uzbek football died". The Football Ramble.com. The Football Ramble Ltd. Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
1 2 "МИСТИЧЕСКИЕ СОВПАДЕНИЯ ПРЕСЛЕДУЮТ РОССИЙСКУЮ АВИАЦИЮ" [MYSTERIOUS COINCIDENCES HAVE RUSSIAN AVIATION]. posadki.net (in Russian). Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2016.

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[websafe1-1] 1 2 3 "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network (ASN). Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.

[websafe2-2] 1 2 "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network (ASN). Archived from the original on 25 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.

[uafoo-3] 1 2 3 "Remaining in heaven". ua-football.com. 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2016.

[Muromov-4] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Muromov, Igor (2003). 100 great plane crashes. Veche. p. 528. ISBN 5-9533-0029-8.

[uzb-5] 1 2 Appell, James (15 September 2011). "The day Uzbek football died". The Football Ramble.com. The Football Ramble Ltd. Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.

[webcit-6] 1 2 "МИСТИЧЕСКИЕ СОВПАДЕНИЯ ПРЕСЛЕДУЮТ РОССИЙСКУЮ АВИАЦИЮ" [MYSTERIOUS COINCIDENCES HAVE RUSSIAN AVIATION]. posadki.net (in Russian). Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2016.

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v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in the Soviet Union in the 1970s
1970	Batagay Aeroflot An-24 crash (28 January 1970) Aeroflot Flight 145 (29 January 1970) Aeroflot Flight U-45 (February 1970) Aeroflot Flight 1661 (April 1970) Dymshits–Kuznetsov hijacking affair (June 1970) Aeroflot Flight 3630 (September 1970) Aeroflot Flight 244 (October 1970)
1971	Surgut Aeroflot An-12 crash (22 January 1971) Surgut Aeroflot An-12 crash (31 January 1971) Aeroflot Flight 1969 (March 1971) Aeroflot Flight 1912 (July 1971) Malév Flight 110 (September 1971) Aeroflot Flight 773 (October 1971) Aeroflot Flight N-63 (November 1971) Aeroflot Flight 2174 (December 1971)
1972	Aeroflot Flight B-608 (4 May 1972) Svetlogorsk An-24 crash (16 May 1972) Aeroflot Flight 1491 (18 May 1972) Aeroflot Flight 558 (August 1972) Aeroflot Flight 1036 (1 October 1972) Aeroflot Flight 217 (13 October 1972) Japan Air Lines Flight 446 (November 1972)
1973	Aeroflot Flight 6263 (January 1973) Aeroflot Flight 630 (24 February 1973) Aeroflot Flight X-167 (28 February 1973) Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 307 (March 1973) Aeroflot Flight 2420 (April 1973) Aeroflot Flight 6551 (11 May 1973) Aeroflot Flight 109 (18 May 1973) Aeroflot Flight A-13 (August 1973) Aeroflot Flight 3932 (September 1973) Aeroflot Flight 964 (October 1973) Aeroflot Flight 19 (November 1973) Aeroflot Flight 2022 (December 1973)
1974	Aeroflot Flight H-75 (January 1974) Leningrad Aeroflot Il-18 crash (April 1974)
1975	Aeroflot Flight E-15 (July 1975) Aeroflot Flight 6274 (November 1975)
1976	Aeroflot Flight 2003 (January 1976) Aeroflot Flight 3739 (February 1976) Aeroflot Flight 909 (March 1976) Aeroflot Flight 1802 (May 1976) Anapa mid-air collision (September 1976) Aeroflot Flight 2415 (November 1976) Aeroflot Flight N-36 (December 1976)
1977	Aeroflot Flight 3843 (January 1977) Aeroflot Flight 5003 (February 1977) Tavda mid-air collision (May 1977) Aeroflot Tu-134 hijacking (10 July 1977) Aeroflot Flight B-2 (20 July 1977)
1978	Korean Air Lines Flight 902 (April 1978) Aeroflot Flight 6709 (19 May 1978) Yegoryevsk Tu-144 crash (23 May 1978) Iranian Chinook shootdown (June 1978) Aeroflot Flight 1080 (7 October 1978) Aeroflot Flight 6515 (23 October 1978)
1979	Aeroflot Flight 1691 (March 1979) Dniprodzerzhynsk mid-air collision (11 August 1979) Aeroflot Flight 5484 (29 August 1979)
1960–1969 ◄ 1970–1979 ► 1980–1991