Narrative:
The Ilyushin Il-76 was part of an air relief operation following an earthquake in Armenia on Dec. 7, 1988. The aircraft flew into the side of a mountain while on approach to Leninakan.
The crew had used an incorrect altimeter setting (734 mm Hg instead of 634 mm Hg). This resulted in an erroneous altitude indication that was 1100 metres above the actual altitude.
The crew were tired, since they did not have sufficient rest. They made several relief flights the day before.
Wrong altimeter setting
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
» Flight International 24-31 December 1988 (p.3)
» Scramble 253
| Status: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
| Date: | Sunday 11 December 1988 |
| Time: | 06:22 |
| Type: |  Ilyushin Il-76M |
| Operator: | Soviet Air Force |
| Registration: | CCCP-86732 |
| MSN: | 083413388 |
| First flight: | 1978 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 68 / Occupants: 69 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 77 / Occupants: 78 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 15 km (9.4 mls) from Leninakan Airport (LWN) ( Armenia)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Baku-Bina International Airport (BAK/UBBB), Azerbaijan |
| Leninakan Airport (LWN/UDSG), Armenia |
The Ilyushin Il-76 was part of an air relief operation following an earthquake in Armenia on Dec. 7, 1988. The aircraft flew into the side of a mountain while on approach to Leninakan.
The crew had used an incorrect altimeter setting (734 mm Hg instead of 634 mm Hg). This resulted in an erroneous altitude indication that was 1100 metres above the actual altitude.
The crew were tired, since they did not have sufficient rest. They made several relief flights the day before.
Classification:
Insufficient rest / fatigueWrong altimeter setting
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» Soviet Transports» Flight International 24-31 December 1988 (p.3)
» Scramble 253
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 Baku-Bina International Airport to Leninakan Airport as the crow flies is 520 km (325 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
Distance from Baku-Bina International Airport to Leninakan Airport as the crow flies is 520 km (325 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
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.
languages: 
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Ilyushin Il-76
- 938+ built
- 18th loss
- 6th fatal accident
- The worst accident (at the time)
- 3rd worst accident (currently)
Armenia- The worst accident
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