Mid-air collision over Pskov (1969)

The collision over Pskov was an aviation accident that occurred on Tuesday 3 June 1969, when two An-12AP transport aircraft of the Soviet Air Force collided in mid-air in the Pskov area; 14 people were killed.

Crash

Two An-12 aircraft of the 334th Berlin Red Banner Military Transport Aviation Regiment were performing training route flights in the area of their home Pskov Airport (Kresty airfield). The sky over the airfield was completely covered by cloud with a base of 400 metres, visibility up to 10 kilometres. As for the time of day, according to some data it was daytime, according to others — night. One of the aircraft (aircraft commander — 2nd class pilot Captain A. K. Shablinov, was making a landing approach, when the flight director Lieutenant Colonel Zubkov gave him permission not to make the planned landing but to begin a second flight, thereby violating the planning table. The crew received permission, retracted the landing gear and flaps, after which it began to climb. At this time another An-12 (aircraft commander — 1st class pilot, detachment commander V. I. Tokarev) was approaching the aerodrome on a reciprocal heading, which according to its assignment was supposed to be at the circuit altitude of 600 metres and heading for the first turn. But 3.5 kilometres from the airport, at an altitude of 350—400 metres, that is, at the edge of the clouds, a head-on collision of the aircraft occurred, which then crashed to the ground and broke up. Both crews, 14 people in total (7 people in each), were killed.