Aeroflot Flight 2420 - Misplaced Pages

1973 aircraft hijacking

Aeroflot Flight 2420
Hijacking
Aircraft involved in the hijacking
Date	April 23, 1973 (1973-04-23)
Summary	Hijacking
Site	Shosseynaya Airport, Leningrad, Soviet Union
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Tupolev Tu-104B
Operator	Aeroflot
Registration	СССР-42505
Flight origin	Shosseynaya Airport
Destination	Sheremetyevo International Airport
Occupants	57
Passengers	51
Crew	6
Fatalities	2
Survivors	55

Aeroflot Flight 2420 was a passenger flight from Leningrad-Shosseynaya Airport to Moscow-Sheremetyevo that, on April 23, 1973, was hijacked by a passenger demanding to go to Stockholm, Sweden. The crew were returning the aircraft to Leningrad when the hijacker detonated the bomb, killing himself and the flight mechanic, who had left the cockpit to negotiate with the hijacker.

Aircraft

The accident aircraft was a Tupolev Tu-104B, registration СССР-42505, manufactured in 1960 by Kazan Aviation Factory No.22. Two Mikulin AM-3M-500 engines powered the plane. By the time of the accident, it had logged 17,095 flight hours and 10,698 pressurisation cycles.

Hijacking

The crew members consisted of: V. M. Yanchenko (pilot-in-command), V. M. Krivulin (co-pilot), N. F. Shirokov (navigator), V. G. Gryaznov (flight mechanic), L. Eremin; M. Khokhreva (flight attendants).

The aircraft took off at 14:25 with 50 adults and one child on board. The crew reported an altitude of 7,800 m (25,600 ft) at 14:38. Shortly afterwards, a passenger gave a flight attendant a letter and requested that it be handed over to the crew. Pilot-in-command (PIC) Yanchenko ordered the flight mechanic, Gryaznov, to leave the cockpit.

The text of the letter read:

Five minutes to read! To the commander and the crew of the aircraft: Dear pilots! I ask you to direct the plane to Sweden, Stockholm Airport. A correct understanding of my request will save your life and mine, and those, through their atrocities, forced me to do this act will be held accountable for this. After a safe landing, I may return to my homeland after a personal conversation with representatives of the highest authorities of the USSR. You see a weapon in my hands. This contains 2 kg 100 g of explosives used in mines, so you don't need to explain what this charge means. Therefore, do not circumvent my request with provocation. Remember that any risk will result in a plane crash. Convince yourself firmly for this, because everything has been calculated and taken into account.

The hijacker, a previously convicted 47-year-old man from the Ukrainian SSR named Ivan Bidyuk, carried a pistol and a hand grenade. Yanchenko had a pistol for last resort but could not shoot Bidyuk as he had a bomb. He was also ordered to "take all measures to prevent the hijacking". While the crew were discussing the situation in the flight deck, the hijacker entered with a bomb in his hands. The pilots turned on the "distress" signal and contacted air traffic control. Earlier, the navigator and flight mechanic went out to neutralise the criminal; but later the navigator returned. Gryaznov, the flight mechanic, stayed outside to convince Bidyuk of his actions.

The plane could not land at Helsinki due to the low fuel remaining. The hijacker demanded that the plane fly to Stockholm, but the PIC did not receive permission from Leningrad ATC to fly to Sweden. PIC Yanchenko decided to land at Leningrad. At an altitude of 120–140 m (390–460 ft), the landing gears were lowered, but the hijacker realised Flight 2420 was landing at Leningrad and detonated the explosives. The aircraft landed 30 seconds after the explosion. The nose gear collapsed and the Tu-104 slid before stopping. The explosion killed Gryaznov and the hijacker.

Aftermath

The crew members were awarded the following awards for their action during the hijacking:

Pilot-in-command V. M. Yanchenko — Order of Lenin and Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union
Flight mechanic V. G. Gryaznov — Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously)
Co-pilot V. M. Krivulin — Order of the Red Banner
Navigator N. F. Shirokov — Order of the Red Banner
Flight attendants L. Eremina and M. Khokhreva — Order of the Red Star

A public garden in Aviagorodok (St. Petersburg) [ru] is named after Gryaznov.

References

Ranter, Harro. "UI Tupolev Tu-104B CCCP-42505". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
Vladimir Ivanovich, Arutinov. "Ekipazh Tu-104 Bort 42505" Экипаж ТУ-104 борт 42505. arutinov.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
^ Vladimir Ivanovich, Arutinov. "Reys 2420 Tu-104 № 42505 23-04-1973" Рейс 2420 ТУ-104 № 42505 23-04-1973. arutinov.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
Dolgareva, Anna (January 23, 2019). "Pyat' samykh gromkikh zakhvatov samoletov v istorii sovetskoy aviatsii" Пять самых громких захватов самолетов в истории советской авиации. 5TV (in Russian). Retrieved May 6, 2024.
^ "Crash of a Tupolev Tu-104B in Leningrad: 2 killed". Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
"Interv'yu s pilotom GA Geroyem Sovetskogo Soyuza V.M.Yanchenko" Интервью с пилотом ГА Героем Советского Союза В.М.Янченко. airforce.ru. March 29, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
"Skver v Aviagorodke poluchil imya Geroya Sovetskogo Soyusa Vikentiya Gryaznova" Сквер в Авиагородке получил имя Героя Советского Союза Викентия Грязнова. spbdnevnik.ru (in Russian). August 6, 2014.

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973 (1973)
Jan 21 Aeroflot Flight 6263Jan 22 Kano Nigeria Airways Boeing 707 crashJan 29 EgyptAir Flight 741Feb 19 Aeroflot Flight 141Feb 21 Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114Feb 24 Aeroflot Flight 630Feb 26 DeKalb–Peachtree Airport Learjet 24 crashFeb 28 Aeroflot Flight X-167Mar 3 Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 307Mar 5 Nantes mid-air collisionApr 10 Invicta International Airlines Flight 435Apr 23 Aeroflot Flight 2420May 11 Aeroflot Flight 6551May 18 Aeroflot Flight 109May 30 SAM Colombia Flight 601May 31 Indian Airlines Flight 440Jun 3 Paris Air Show Tu-144 crashJun 10 Nepal plane hijackingJun 20 Aeroméxico Flight 229Jul 11 Varig Flight 820Jul 22 Pan Am Flight 816Jul 23 Japan Air Lines Flight 404Jul 23 Ozark Air Lines Flight 809Jul 31 Delta Air Lines Flight 723Aug 13 Aviaco Flight 118Aug 18 Aeroflot Flight A-13Aug 27 Aerocondor Lockheed L-188 Electra crashAug 28 TWA Flight 742Sep 8 World Airways Flight 802Sep 11 JAT Flight 769Sep 27 Texas International Airlines Flight 655Sep 30 Aeroflot Flight 3932Oct 13 Aeroflot Flight 964Nov 2 Aeroflot Flight 19Nov 3 Pan Am Flight 160Nov 3 National Airlines Flight 27Nov 21 US Navy C-117D Sólheimasandur CrashNov 23 Italian Air Force C-47 Argo 16 crashNov 25 KLM Flight 861Dec 16 Aeroflot Flight 2022Dec 17 Iberia Flight 933Dec 17 Pan Am Fl. 110, Lufthansa Fl. 303 hijackingDec 22 Royal Air Maroc Caravelle crash
1972 ◄ ► 1974

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973 (1973)

Jan 21 Aeroflot Flight 6263Jan 22 Kano Nigeria Airways Boeing 707 crashJan 29 EgyptAir Flight 741Feb 19 Aeroflot Flight 141Feb 21 Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114Feb 24 Aeroflot Flight 630Feb 26 DeKalb–Peachtree Airport Learjet 24 crashFeb 28 Aeroflot Flight X-167Mar 3 Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 307Mar 5 Nantes mid-air collisionApr 10 Invicta International Airlines Flight 435Apr 23 Aeroflot Flight 2420May 11 Aeroflot Flight 6551May 18 Aeroflot Flight 109May 30 SAM Colombia Flight 601May 31 Indian Airlines Flight 440Jun 3 Paris Air Show Tu-144 crashJun 10 Nepal plane hijackingJun 20 Aeroméxico Flight 229Jul 11 Varig Flight 820Jul 22 Pan Am Flight 816Jul 23 Japan Air Lines Flight 404Jul 23 Ozark Air Lines Flight 809Jul 31 Delta Air Lines Flight 723Aug 13 Aviaco Flight 118Aug 18 Aeroflot Flight A-13Aug 27 Aerocondor Lockheed L-188 Electra crashAug 28 TWA Flight 742Sep 8 World Airways Flight 802Sep 11 JAT Flight 769Sep 27 Texas International Airlines Flight 655Sep 30 Aeroflot Flight 3932Oct 13 Aeroflot Flight 964Nov 2 Aeroflot Flight 19Nov 3 Pan Am Flight 160Nov 3 National Airlines Flight 27Nov 21 US Navy C-117D Sólheimasandur CrashNov 23 Italian Air Force C-47 Argo 16 crashNov 25 KLM Flight 861Dec 16 Aeroflot Flight 2022Dec 17 Iberia Flight 933Dec 17 Pan Am Fl. 110, Lufthansa Fl. 303 hijackingDec 22 Royal Air Maroc Caravelle crash

1972 ◄ ► 1974

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in the Soviet Union in the 1970s
1970	Batagay Aeroflot An-24 crash (28 January 1970) Aeroflot Flight 145 (29 January 1970) Aeroflot Flight U-45 (February 1970) Aeroflot Flight 1661 (April 1970) Dymshits–Kuznetsov hijacking affair (June 1970) Aeroflot Flight 3630 (September 1970) Aeroflot Flight 244 (October 1970)
1971	Surgut Aeroflot An-12 crash (22 January 1971) Surgut Aeroflot An-12 crash (31 January 1971) Aeroflot Flight 1969 (March 1971) Aeroflot Flight 1912 (July 1971) Malév Flight 110 (September 1971) Aeroflot Flight 773 (October 1971) Aeroflot Flight N-63 (November 1971) Aeroflot Flight 2174 (December 1971)
1972	Aeroflot Flight B-608 (4 May 1972) Svetlogorsk An-24 crash (16 May 1972) Aeroflot Flight 1491 (18 May 1972) Aeroflot Flight 558 (August 1972) Aeroflot Flight 1036 (1 October 1972) Aeroflot Flight 217 (13 October 1972) Japan Air Lines Flight 446 (November 1972)
1973	Aeroflot Flight 6263 (January 1973) Aeroflot Flight 630 (24 February 1973) Aeroflot Flight X-167 (28 February 1973) Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 307 (March 1973) Aeroflot Flight 2420 (April 1973) Aeroflot Flight 6551 (11 May 1973) Aeroflot Flight 109 (18 May 1973) Aeroflot Flight A-13 (August 1973) Aeroflot Flight 3932 (September 1973) Aeroflot Flight 964 (October 1973) Aeroflot Flight 19 (November 1973) Aeroflot Flight 2022 (December 1973)
1974	Aeroflot Flight H-75 (January 1974) Leningrad Aeroflot Il-18 crash (April 1974)
1975	Aeroflot Flight E-15 (July 1975) Aeroflot Flight 6274 (November 1975)
1976	Aeroflot Flight 2003 (January 1976) Aeroflot Flight 3739 (February 1976) Aeroflot Flight 909 (March 1976) Aeroflot Flight 1802 (May 1976) Anapa mid-air collision (September 1976) Aeroflot Flight 2415 (November 1976) Aeroflot Flight N-36 (December 1976)
1977	Aeroflot Flight 3843 (January 1977) Aeroflot Flight 5003 (February 1977) Tavda mid-air collision (May 1977) Aeroflot Tu-134 hijacking (10 July 1977) Aeroflot Flight B-2 (20 July 1977)
1978	Korean Air Lines Flight 902 (April 1978) Aeroflot Flight 6709 (19 May 1978) Yegoryevsk Tu-144 crash (23 May 1978) Iranian Chinook shootdown (June 1978) Aeroflot Flight 1080 (7 October 1978) Aeroflot Flight 6515 (23 October 1978)
1979	Aeroflot Flight 1691 (March 1979) Dniprodzerzhynsk mid-air collision (11 August 1979) Aeroflot Flight 5484 (29 August 1979)
1960–1969 ◄ 1970–1979 ► 1980–1991

Aeroflot

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Exited	Aurora Nordavia (now Smartavia)

Fleet

Accidents and
incidents

1940s	G-2 Alma-Ata crash ANT-20bis crash CCCP-Л1450 crash Flight 17
1950s	Il-12 Karaganda crash Il-12 Novosibirsk crash Kemerovo mid-air collision Flight 229 Flight 783 Flight 10 Flight 136 Flight 214 Flight 229 Kiev mid-air collision Flight 11 Flight 10 Flight 105 Flight 04 Flight 365 Flight 164 Il-12 Lazo crash Тu-104 Kanash crash Flight 200 Flight 315
1960s	Flight 315 Flight 207 Flight 036 Flight 068 Flight 245 Flight 902 Flight 415 Flight 03 Flight 213 Flight 191 Flight 25 Flight 012 Flight 366 Flight 663 Flight 721 Flight 101/X-20 Flight 542 Flight 513 Flight 99 Flight 065 Flight 2723 Flight 5003 Flight 2230 Flight L-51 Flight 1668 Flight 15 Flight 831 Flight F-28 Flight N-826
1970s	Flight U-45 Flight 1661 Flight 3630 CCCP-11000 crash CCCP-12996 crash Flight 1969 Flight 1912 Flight 773 Flight N-63 Flight 2174 Flight 1491 Flight 558 Flight 1036 Flight 217 Flight 6263 Flight 141 Flight 630 Flight X-167 Flight 6551 Flight 109 Flight A-13 Flight 3932 Flight 964 Flight 19 Flight 2022 Flight 2420 CCCP-75559 crash Flight 662 Flight E-15 Flight A-53 Flight 2003 Flight 3739 Flight 909 Flight 1802 Flight 418 Flights 7957 and 31 Flight 2415 Flight N-36 Flight 3843 Flight 5003 Flight 331 Flight B-2 Flight 6709 Flight 1080 Flight 6515 Flight 1691 Flights 7628 and 7880 Flight 5484
1980s	Flight 4225 Flight 498 Flight 811 Flight 3603 Flight 8641 Flight 411 Flight 343 Flight 5463 Flight 601 Flight 3352 Flight F-637 Flight 3519 Flight 7841 Zolochiv mid-air collision Flight 5143 Flight 101/435 Flight F-77 Flight 2306 Flight 6502 Flight 892 Flight U-505 Flight N-528 Flight 699 Flight 3739
since 1990s	Flight E-35D CCCP-46472 crash Flight 2808 Flight 593 Flight 521 Flight 821 Flight 1492

Categories:

Aircraft

Hijacking

Aftermath

See also

References