One of TAR’s two CL-44 freighter planes was chartered through intermediaries to fly cargo from Larnaca (Cyprus) to Teheran (Iran). In fact, the airplane picked up a cargo of weapons at Tel Aviv and flew on to neutral Cyprus to continue its flight to Iran. The airplane was flying back to Cyprus on its third round trip and turned to a heading of 300 degrees to the Turkish border. It was then to turn left heading 240 degrees direct to Cyprus. The plane went off course to the north, taking the plane just into Soviet (Azerbaijan) airspace. Soviet fighters were scrambled to intercept the plane. According to Soviet accounts at that time the crew failed to respond to radio calls as well as signals from the Sukhoi Su-15 fighter pilot flying close to the CL-44’s nose. The cargo plane, while probably making the procedure turn to the left, tried to get away. In an effort to bring down the plane, the fighter pilot steered his plane into the tail of the Canadair. Both planes crashed out of control but he ejected safely. Western aviation experts however think the pilot misjudged a turn and hit the airliner by accident.