1978 Balkan Bulgarian Tupolev Tu-134 crash
Encyclopedia
The 1978 Balkan Bulgarian Tupolev Tu-134 crash occurred on 16 March 1978 when a Balkan Bulgarian Airlines
Tupolev Tu-134
airliner on an international flight from Sofia, Bulgaria
, to Warsaw Airport, Poland.
On departure from Sofia, the aircraft was climbing to 8850 m, but at 4900 m it turned on a heading of 050, it turned again to 270 then began an abnormal descent. The aircraft crashed near the village of Gabare, 130 km northeast of Sofia. All 73 on board died. It was never established what the nature of the emergency was or if the aircraft was under control at the moment of impact.
Balkan Bulgarian Airlines
Balkan Airlines was Bulgaria's government-owned flag carrier between 1947 and 2002. During the 1970s the airliner became a significant European carrier. The company encountered financial instability following the fall of communism in Eastern Europe...
Tupolev Tu-134
Tupolev Tu-134
The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engined airliner, similar to the American Douglas DC-9 and the French Sud Aviation Caravelle, and built in the Soviet Union from 1966–1984. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain other Russian airliners , it can operate from unpaved...
airliner on an international flight from Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia Airport
Sofia Airport , sometimes also called Letishte Sofia-Vrazhdebna , is the main airport in Sofia, Bulgaria. Located east of central Sofia. In 2010 the number of passengers was 3.3 million...
, to Warsaw Airport, Poland.
On departure from Sofia, the aircraft was climbing to 8850 m, but at 4900 m it turned on a heading of 050, it turned again to 270 then began an abnormal descent. The aircraft crashed near the village of Gabare, 130 km northeast of Sofia. All 73 on board died. It was never established what the nature of the emergency was or if the aircraft was under control at the moment of impact.