Narrative:The Tupolev took off from Tallinn at 08:55 and it appeared the undercarriage didn't retract. The flight diverted to Leningrad (because of fog at Tallinn) at low altitude. At 11:00 the aircraft started to circle the city at 1650 feet. The eighth and last was started at 12:10 when, at 13 miles from the airport, the no. 1 engine quit. The remaining engine quit shortly thereafter and a ditch was carried out in the 300 metres wide River Neva. All passengers remained on aboard as the floating aircraft was towed ashore.
Classification:
Ditching
Sources:
»
Soviet Transports» Ditch or crash-land?/B.W. Townshend, 1965 (47-49)
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Tallinn-Ülemiste Airport to Moskva-Vnukovo Airport as the crow flies is 847 km (529 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.