Date & Time:
Sep 21, 1977 at 1659 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-134
Operator:
Registration:
HA-LBC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Istanbul - Bucharest - Budapest
MSN:
8 35 06 05
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
MA203
Country:
Romania
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
8
Pax on board:
45
Pax fatalities:
21
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
While descending to Bucharest-Otopeni Airport at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the crew was cleared for a straight-in approach to runway 26 and to descend to 2,000 feet. The airplane lost height and struck the ground. It lost its undercarriage and slid for few hundred meters before coming to rest in flames in an open field located 6,3 km southwest of Urziceni, about 37 km northeast of Otopeni Airport. All eight crew members and 21 passengers were killed while 24 other people were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to realize his approach speed was too low, causing the airplane to lose height and to stall on approach.
