Saratov Airlines Flight 703
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (February 2018) |
_Saratov_Airlines_DME_UUDD_0_(33736247853).jpg) RA-61704, the accident aircraft. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 11 February 2018 |
| Summary | Mid-air collision, Cause under investigation |
| Site | Stepanovskoye, Moscow Oblast 55°24′31″N 45°54′22″E / 55.40861°N 45.90611°E |
| First aircraft | |
| Type | Antonov An-148-100B |
| Operator | Saratov Airlines |
| Registration | RA-61704 |
| Flight origin | Domodedovo Airport, Moscow, Russia |
| Destination | Orsk Airport, Russia |
| Passengers | 65 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 71 (all) |
| Second aircraft | |
| Type | Unknown, possibly Helicopter |
| Operator | Unknown |
Saratov Airlines Flight 703 (6W703/SOV703) was an Antonov An-148-100B that crashed in an apparent collision with another aircraft shortly after take-off on 11 February 2018 while flying from Domodedovo Airport, Russia to Orsk Airport. The aircraft was carrying 65 passengers and six crew. [1][2]
Aircraft
The accident aircraft was an Antonov An-148-100B, registration RA-61704, MSN 27015040004. The aircraft was powered by two Progress D-436 engines. It first flew in May 2010 and was registered to Rossiya Airlines a month later on 23 June 2010. It had been involved in two previous minor incidents in service; an engine was shut down on 28 July 2013 after it surged in flight, and it suffered a nose wheel failure on take-off on 23 August 2013. The aircraft was then leased by Saratov Airlines on 8 February 2017.[3]
Accident
The aircraft is reported to have crashed near Stepanovskoye, a village in Moscow Oblast, shortly after take-off from Domodedovo Airport, Moscow, Russia on a domestic scheduled passenger flight to Orsk Airport, Russia. There were 65 passengers and six crew on board;[4][5] over 60 passengers are believed to have been Orenburg Oblast residents.[6][7] All on board are presumed dead.[8][9]
Remains of a second aircraft, identified as a helicopter, were found near the crash site of the An-148.[10][11] According to initial (unconfirmed) reports, the plane is to have been on an collision course with a Russian Post helicopter.[12][13] A spokesman from Russian Post denied that the company was involved in the catastrophe, stating: “We don’t have any helicopters. I don’t know where people are getting this information from.”[14]
The helicopter was taking off from the newly-built Zhukovsky International Airport at the time of the crash.[15]
According to a source inside the investigation, a few minutes before the crash the pilot of the aircraft told air traffic controllers about a malfunction and had to make an emergency landing in Zhukovsky.[16]
Investigation
The Interstate Aviation Committee (Russian: Межгосударственный авиационный комитет, МАК) is responsible for investigating aviation accidents in Russia. Within the first few hours of the investigation, the Ministry of Transport announced several theories regarding the crash including weather conditions and human factors.[17] Later reports state that the weather conditions in that location were normal.[18]
Reactions
President of Russia Vladimir Putin sent his condolences to the families of victims of the crash.[19]- Saratov Airlines published a short statement, sending their condolences to the "relatives and friends" of the victims.[20]
- The Mayor Of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin also sent his condolences.[21]
References
- ^ "Russian Saratov Airlines operated plane AN-148 crashes near Moscow; 71 people killed | Latest News & Updates at DNAIndia.com". dna. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Moment plane VANISHES off radar before CRASHING and 'killing everyone on board'". Dailystar.co.uk. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "RA-61704 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Plane with 71 on board goes missing after taking off from Moscow". Russia Today. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Luhn, Alec; Rothwell, James (11 February 2018). "71 feared dead as Russian plane crashes near Moscow". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Interfax news - Interfax". www.interfax.com. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Plane carrying 71 people crashes near Moscow". Sky News. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Russian jet 'crashes' after Moscow take-off". BBC News Online. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Russian Jet Crashes Near Moscow, All 71 Aboard Feared Dead". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Рядом с местом падения Ан-148 нашли обломки второго воздушного судна". Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Hradecky, Simon. "Crash: Saratow A148 at Moscow on Feb 11tn 2018, midair collision". Aviation Herald. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Разбившийся Ан-148 столкнулся с вертолетом «Почты России»" [The crashed An-148 collided with the Russia Post helicopter] (in Russian). Meduza. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Рядом с местом падения Ан-148 нашли обломки второго воздушного судна" [The wreckage of a second aircraft was found near the crash site]. Lenta. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ В "Почте России" опровергли информацию о столкновении самолета с почтовым вертолетом
- ^ "Ан-148 перед падением столкнулся с вертолетом «Почты России»". Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Разбившийся Ан-148 шел на аварийную посадку. LIVE". Газета.Ru. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Interfax news - Interfax". www.interfax.com. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Ан-148 мог упасть после столкновения с вертолетом, retrieved 11 February 2018
- ^ "Putin offers condolences to families of those killed in Saratov Airlines crash". RT International. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Saratov Airlines News Bulletin". Retrieved 11 February 2018.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "Wall". vk.com. Retrieved 11 February 2018.