One of the two remaining engines subsequently failed, forcing the crew to make a belly landing in a field near Yegoryevsk, Moscow Oblast.

The accident prompted a ban on passenger flights of the Tu-144, which had already been beset by numerous problems, leading to a lack of interest that ultimately resulted in the Tu-144 program's cancellation.

The crew intended to perform a series of tests on the aircraft's generators, engines, cabin leakage, and controllability at 12,000 metres (39,000 ft).

At 18:55:18, the aircraft belly landed in a field in the Yegoryevsky District, roughly 46 kilometres (29 miles; 25 nmi) from Ramenskoye Airport.

The nose cone collapsed on impact, penetrating a compartment in which two flight engineers were seated and killing them both, while the remaining six crewmembers survived the crash.

A fatal error was made when they dismissed gauge readings, despite acknowledging significant tank contents discrepancies.

Despite challenging emergency conditions, the pilots managed to land the aircraft but struck an obstacle, causing fatal injuries to two flight engineers.

Combined with other issues involving the Tu-144, including an earlier crash at the 1973 Paris Air Show and complaints about reliability and passenger comfort, this caused a lack of interest in the Tu-144, which ultimately led to the demise of the Tu-144 program.