Tupolev TU-154

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-85105

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

75A105

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

146

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach and landing to Yerevan-Zvartnots Airport was completed in poor weather conditions. Upon landing, the aircraft was not properly aligned with the centerline and landed too far to the right of the runway. Out of control, it veered off runway and eventually collided with a concrete wall. All 154 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was not properly aligned with the runway centerline upon landing after the crew mistook the runway edge lights with the runway centerline lights.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B-2 in Vladivostok

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Belarusian Civil Aviation Administration (Belorusskoye Upravleniye Grazhdanskoy Aviatsii)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-85528

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Vladivostok - Minsk

MSN:

82A-528

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

20366

Aircraft flight cycles:

8758

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Vladivostok to Minsk, carrying 62 Lithuanian tourists and five crew members. During the takeoff roll, at a speed of 320 km/h, the captain started the rotation but the aircraft failed to respond. The crew initiated an emergency braking procedure 1,000 metres from the runway end (the runway is 3,500 metres long). Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran at a speed of 200 km/h, lost its nose gear and came to rest 283 metres further. All 67 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was unable to rotate and takeoff because its total weight was about 6,8 tons above MTOW and the CofG was too far forward out of the enveloppe. Investigations revealed that the flight was not prepared according to published procedures and that the weight and balance sheet provided to the crew did not reflect the truth as a total of 16,800 kg of cargo and luggages were boarded instead of the 10,000 mentioned on the documentation.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B-1 in Kiev

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-85269

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

78A-269

YOM:

1978

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

141

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Kiev-Borispol Airport, the crew informed ATC about landing gear problems and was cleared to return. On approach, the crew realized that the left main gear got stuck in its wheel well and decided to continue the descent. Upon touchdown, the aircraft fell on its left, slid for few dozen metres and came to rest on the runway. All 147 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The left main gear could not be lowered for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B in Tbilisi: 28 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Tbilisi-Shota-Rustaveli (ex Novo Alekseyevka)

Operator:

Registration:

85222

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Tbilisi - Mineralnye Vody

MSN:

77A222

YOM:

1977

Location:

Tbilisi City District

Country:

Georgia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll on runway 31R at Tbilisi-Novo Alekseyevka Airport, after V1 speed, the pilot-in-command started the rotation. The nose gear lifted off and the aircraft nosed up to an angle of 6-7°. Both main landing gear failed to lift off and the aircraft continued to roll until the end of the runway. It overran, rolled 490 metres, struck the localizer antenna, continued for 190 metres and eventually crashed in a residential area, bursting into flames. The aircraft as well as nine houses were totally destroyed. All 24 occupants as well as four people on the ground were killed, 10 others were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was engaged in a cargo flight and was loaded with 20 tons of tea. Following violation of loading regulations on part of the ground personnel, three tons were loaded unbeknownst to the crew. Manifest and weight & balance sheet were incorrect and the aircraft was overloaded by 2 tons at the time of the accident. Also, the CofG was outside the forward limit. All 16 passengers did not have any ticket and were not authorized to embark on such commercial cargo flight.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154A in Varna

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

LZ-BTD

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Stockholm - Varna

MSN:

74A058

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

LZ7022

Location:

Varna

Country:

Bulgaria

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

127

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Varna Airport was completed in poor weather conditions with a limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. The aircraft landed too far down a wet runway 27 and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its nose gear and came to rest. All 134 occupants, most of them Swedish tourists, were evacuated safely, nevertheless several passengers suffered minor injuries. The aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B-2 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1991 at 0938 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CU-T1227

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mexico City-Benito Juarez

Schedule:

Havana - Mexico City

MSN:

82A541

YOM:

1982

Flight number:

CU130

Location:

Federal District of Mexico City

Country:

Mexico

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

100

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. As he was unable to locate the runway, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, during a second attempt to land, the aircraft remained above the glide on short final and eventually landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran. While contacting soft ground, the left main gear collapsed, the aircraft slid for about 500 meters then collided with the ILS antenna, causing the left wing to be torn off. A fire erupted and destroyed a part of the left fuselage. All 112 occupants were evacuated, among them one passenger was slightly injured.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew who continued the approach above the glide and landed too far down the runway, reducing the landing distance available. It was also reported that the crew was unable to initiate a second go-around because the fuel reserve were insufficient to perform a third circuit.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B-1 in Leningrad: 13 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1991 at 1306 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-85097

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sukhumi - Leningrad

MSN:

75A097

YOM:

1975

Flight number:

SU8556

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

174

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Sukhumi, the crew initiate the approach to Leningrad-Pulkovo Airport in heavy rain falls. At a distance of 7 km on approach, at an altitude of 400 meters and at a speed of 287 km/h, flaps were deployed to an angle of 45°. Fifteen seconds laters, at a distance of 5,700 meters, the crew was cleared to land and continued the approach when the aircraft passed below the glide. With a rate of descent of 7 meters per second and at a speed of 250 km/h, the aircraft struck the ground 13 meters short of runway threshold in a 1° nose down attitude and with a positive acceleration of 4,5 g. The aircraft broke in three parts and came to rest 80 meters to the left of the runway. 13 passengers were killed, 38 other occupants were injured and 130 escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Deviations in the actions of the crew during the approach procedure,
- Lack of crew coordination,
- Inconsistencies in crew actions during an instrument approach that resulted in a significant vertical deviation from the calculated descent trajectory and delayed actions to eliminate them,
- Lack of assistance from the approach controller,
- Decision of the crew to continue the approach maneuver instead of initiating a go-around procedure.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154M in Velichovská

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1990 at 1521 LT

Type of aircraft:

Hradec Králové Region (Královéhradecký kraj)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-85664

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Basel - Moscow

MSN:

89A818

YOM:

1989

Location:

Velichovská

Country:

Czech Republic

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Basel Airport on a cargo flight to Moscow, carrying six crew members and a load of cigarettes. While cruising at an altitude of 10,600 meters, the crew declared an emergency after smoke spread in the cabin, and elected to divert to Prague-Ruzyne Airport. As the situation deteriorated on board, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing in an open field located in Velichovská, near Jaroměř. In a flapless configuration, the aircraft landed at a speed of 370-390 km/h in a marshy field, struck a two-meters embankment and crashed in several pieces, bursting into flames. All six crew members escaped with minor injuries.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the fire on board could not be determined with certainty but it is believed that the likely cause could have been an electric stove left on in the side kitchen.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B-1 in Kutaisi

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1990 at 1410 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-85268

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: