In 1980, a sudden atmospheric heat wave caused a tragic plane crash in Kazakhstan
A rare meteorological phenomenon turned a routine takeoff into a disaster in 1980 when an atmospheric heat wave caused a heavily loaded airliner to plummet shortly after departing from Almaty.
Aeroflot Flight 4225 met a tragic end in 1980 due to a sudden 'thermal burst' that dropped the plane's lift at a critical moment. As the aircraft climbed into an unusually hot layer of air, the engines lost thrust and the wings lost buoyancy, causing the plane to stall and crash near Almaty International Airport. All 166 people on board perished in the accident.
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