Narrative:
While en route between Ashgabat and Mineralnye Vody, a passenger hijacked the aircraft, demanding to be flown to Tehran, Iran. He threatened the crew with a pistol and a grenade. The co-pilot was shot, after which the security guards killed the hijackers. The plane landed back at the airport of Ashgabat.
The hijacker was armed with a home-made pistol using starter gun ammunition and a wooden training grenade.
» Soviet terrorists. More than 50 hijackings
| Status: | |
| Date: | Saturday 6 May 1978 |
| Type: | Ilyushin Il-18 |
| Operator: | Aeroflot |
| Registration: | registration unknown |
| MSN: | |
| First flight: | |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: |
| Total: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Location: | Ashgabat ( Turkmenistan)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Ashgabat Airport (ASB/UTAA), Turkmenistan |
| Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV/URMM), Russia |
While en route between Ashgabat and Mineralnye Vody, a passenger hijacked the aircraft, demanding to be flown to Tehran, Iran. He threatened the crew with a pistol and a grenade. The co-pilot was shot, after which the security guards killed the hijackers. The plane landed back at the airport of Ashgabat.
The hijacker was armed with a home-made pistol using starter gun ammunition and a wooden training grenade.
Classification:
HijackSources:
» Chronicle of the seizure of Russian aircraft» Soviet terrorists. More than 50 hijackings
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 Ashgabat Airport to Mineralnye Vody Airport as the crow flies is 1443 km (902 miles).
Distance from Ashgabat Airport to Mineralnye Vody Airport as the crow flies is 1443 km (902 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.
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