1981 Zheleznogorsk mid-air collision
The 1981 Zheleznogorsk mid-air collision was an accident involving a Yakovlev Yak-40 jet and a Mil Mi-8T helicopter, both operated by the Russian airline Aeroflot, 11 km (6.9 miles) east of Zheleznogorsk-Ilimskiy Airport, Soviet Union, on 18 September 1981.The crew of flight V-652 initiated their descent to the airport and had to pass through clouds while searching for the runway.When the plane was about 11 km (6.9 miles) East of the airport and at an altitude of 1,300 ft (396 m), it collided with the helicopter who was also descending at 7.13am.[2] Both aircraft nosedived towards the ground following the collision, and crashed in a wooded hilly terrain 400 meters (1,300 feet) from one another.The lack of communication between the three parties allowed the Mil Mi-8T helicopter to cross into the approach path of flight V-652.