Country
Afghanistan
code

Kabul

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Kabul: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-26
Operator:
Registration:
29
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kabul - Bagram AFB
Location:
Kabul
Kabul
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Kabul, while climbing, the aircraft was hit by small ground fire, stalled and crashed. A crew member was injured while five other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Kabul: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1987 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-26
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kabul - Bagram AFB
Location:
Kabul
Kabul
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Kabul Airport, while climbing, the aircraft was hit by a Stinger missile that struck the left engine. All six crew members managed to bail out when the aircraft crashed and was destroyed. Five occupants were uninjured while the captain was killed as his parachute failed to open.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Stinger missile.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BK in Kabul: 18 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1987
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kabul - Tashkent
Location:
Kabul
Kabul
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was engaged in a military cargo flight from Kabul to Tashkent, carrying 13 passengers and a crew of six. The aircraft was ready for takeoff and its crew was awaiting the clearance. ATC cleared the crew of a Soviet Air Force Mil Mi-24 to takeoff from the center of the runway. In a certain confusion, ATC cleared the crew of the AN-12 to takeoff shortly thereafter. During the takeoff roll, the pilot of the AN-12 saw the helicopter and decided to rotate when a wing struck one of the helicopter's propeller and crashed, bursting into flames. A passenger on board the AN-12 survived while all other 18 occupants were killed. All six people on board the helicopter were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew of the Antonov AN-12 was using the same flight number as the helicopter, which caused confusion by ATC. When the crew of the helicopter was cleared for takeoff by ATC, the same clearance was given few seconds later to the crew of the Antonov, ATC thinking that it was related to the helicopter and repeating the clearance to the same crew.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 near Kabul: 29 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kabul - Jalalabad
Location:
Kabul
Kabul
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
Less than five minutes after takeoff from Kabul Airport, while climbing, the aircraft was hit by a Stinger missile. Out of control, it entered a dive and crashed in a huge explosion some 24 km from Kabul Airport. All 29 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was also carrying few tons of S-24 rockets and 400 kilos of explosives.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Stinger missile.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18 near Kabul: 40 killed

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Kabul
Kabul
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
40
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed some 80 km east from Kabul. All 40 occupants were killed, among them Afghan and Soviet soldiers.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26RT near Kabul: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-26
Operator:
Registration:
22
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Kabul
Kabul
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route, the aircraft was hit by two surface-to-air missiles. The flaps were mistakenly deployed and the aircraft went out of control. Five occupants were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed, bursting into flames. The flight engineer who was unable to bail out was killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by two surface-to-air missiles.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-76 near Kabul: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-76
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-86739
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Tashkent - Kabul
MSN:
0834 12354
YOM:
1978
Location:
Kabul
Kabul
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane was completing a flight from Tashkent, carrying 11 people and a load of 25 tons of various equipment. On approach, a surface-to-air missile (type Strela) struck the left wing between both engines n°1 and 2. Out of control, the aircraft descended to ground and crashed in a huge explosion about 20 km southeast of Kabul. All 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP near Kabul: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1980 at 1032 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-11104
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Sofia – Mineralnye Vody – Tashkent – Kabul
MSN:
01 347 710
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
SU1531
Location:
Kabul
Kabul
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
19130
Aircraft flight cycles:
6217
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Sofia to Kabul with intermediate stops in Mineralnye Vody and Tashkent. After being cleared to descend to FL200, FL180 and eventually FL95, the crew continued the approach below the minimum descent altitude until the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Vaysi-Karnibaba (2,800 meters high) located about 25,4 km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all six occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was limited due to low clouds.
Probable cause:
The crew took the decision to continue the descent below the minimum safe altitude over mountainous terrain without any visual contact with ground and various obstacles. Thus, the accident is the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.
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