Dagestan Airlines Flight 372
Encyclopedia
Dagestan Airlines
Flight 372 was a scheduled commercial flight between Vnukovo International Airport
, Moscow
and Uytash Airport
, Makhachkala
. On December 4, 2010 a Tupolev Tu-154M, with registration RA-85744 operating the flight skidded off the runway following an emergency landing at Domodedovo International Airport
, 45 km south-east of Vnukovo. Two people on board were killed.
jet engines for propulsion. The aircraft had been completely overhauled in 2009, and met all relevant European safety standards, as it had been used for the transport of the Belgium national football team in November 2010, a flight which required it to meet European regulations.
in Moscow to Uytash Airport
in Makhachkala
, Republic of Dagestan. Two of the aircraft's three engines failed shortly after it took off from Vnukovo Airport at 14:07 local time (11:07 UTC); the pilots reported the loss of engines when the aircraft was at a height of around 9100 metres (29,855.6 ft). An emergency landing at Domodedovo International Airport
was requested, and as the aircraft was in the process of landing, the third engine failed. The aircraft approached runway 32R from the right at almost right angles, overflying the threshold before turning right at 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) to the left of the runway and crossing over the runway, flying parallel with but to the right of the runway. The aircraft touched down 88 metres (288.7 ft) to the right of the runway centerline, and only 350 metres (1,148.3 ft) short of the end, about a half hour after its departure, landing in conditions of freezing rain.
The landing caused the plane to sustain major damage, and it was written off
shortly after the incident. A passenger on board the plane said that the aircraft broke into three parts after landing. Later reports said that both the cockpit
and vertical stabilizer
had separated from the aircraft, and that the wings and undercarriage had both been damaged.
.
One of the two dead was Gadzhimurad Magomedov, the brother of Magomedsalam Magomedov
, the president of Dagestan.
The number of people on board the plane was unclear; early reports said that between 163 and 172 people were on board, but a number of 168, eight of which were crew members, was later settled on.
was said to be "keeping a watchful eye" over the proceedings. Several hours after the incident occurred, the lead prosecutor in the investigation said that the preliminary results suggested a bird strike
was responsible for the loss of engines.
By the day after the incident, investigators had recovered the flight data recorder
and a second data storing device, but had not located the cockpit voice recorder
. The Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) said that it had begun analysis of both recovered devices, which were said to be in "satisfactory condition." Analysis of the flight data recorder showed that eight minutes after the aircraft took off, at an altitude of 6500 metres (21,325.5 ft), the fuel supply to the engines fluctuated, and as the aircraft passed 9000 metres (29,527.6 ft), the outer two engines shut down. The crew at this point began a descent towards Domodedovo Airport. The center engine had a "period of instability," but its normal status was "restored and maintained" until the aircraft's landing. The MAK said it was unclear what caused the shut-down of the two engines, though the fuel supply at Vnukovo Airport was confirmed to meet standards.
On 10 December 2010, the MAK announced that it had located the cockpit voice recorder, analysis of which was planned to begin immediately.
On 1 April 2011, investigators announced that poor fuel quality had been ruled out as a cause of the crash, despite instrument readings that indicated issues with the fuel supply before the aircraft crashed.
On 26 September 2011, the MAK released its report into the incident, concluding that the cause was the flight engineer accidentally shutting off a fuel pump while transferring fuel. As a result, fuel consumption fluctuated, leading to unusual altitude and engine readings before the outer two engines shut down. At this point, the crew chose to bring the plane to Domodedovo Airport. The report said that the crew had not used all available options to deal with the loss of engine power, and had not followed procedures for landing with two nonfunctional engines. The report also noted that the crew had not been sufficiently trained to deal with the situation.
Dagestan Airlines
OJSC Dagestan Airlines is an airline based at Uytash Airport in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia, operating domestic and international scheduled and chartered flights.- History :...
Flight 372 was a scheduled commercial flight between Vnukovo International Airport
Vnukovo International Airport
Vnukovo International Airport , is a dual runway international airport located southwest from the centre of Moscow, Russia. It is one of three major airports serving Moscow...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and Uytash Airport
Uytash Airport
Uytash Airport is a civil airport located near Makhachkala and Kaspiysk cities. It is named after Amet-Khan Sultan, World War II fighter pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union....
, Makhachkala
Makhachkala
-Twin towns/sister cities:Makhachkala is twinned with: Sfax, Tunisia Siping, China Spokane, United States Vladikavkaz, Russia Yalova, Turkey Ndola, Zambia-See also:*...
. On December 4, 2010 a Tupolev Tu-154M, with registration RA-85744 operating the flight skidded off the runway following an emergency landing at Domodedovo International Airport
Domodedovo International Airport
Moscow Domodedovo Airport or Domodedovo International Airport is an international airport located in Domodedovsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia, south-southeast of the centre of Moscow...
, 45 km south-east of Vnukovo. Two people on board were killed.
Aircraft
The aircraft operating the flight was a Tupolev Tu-154M, registered RA-85744,cn: 92A-927. It had been built in 1992, and was equipped with three Soloviev D-30KUSoloviev D-30
- External links :* * * *...
jet engines for propulsion. The aircraft had been completely overhauled in 2009, and met all relevant European safety standards, as it had been used for the transport of the Belgium national football team in November 2010, a flight which required it to meet European regulations.
Accident
The plane was flying a scheduled trip from Vnukovo International AirportVnukovo International Airport
Vnukovo International Airport , is a dual runway international airport located southwest from the centre of Moscow, Russia. It is one of three major airports serving Moscow...
in Moscow to Uytash Airport
Uytash Airport
Uytash Airport is a civil airport located near Makhachkala and Kaspiysk cities. It is named after Amet-Khan Sultan, World War II fighter pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union....
in Makhachkala
Makhachkala
-Twin towns/sister cities:Makhachkala is twinned with: Sfax, Tunisia Siping, China Spokane, United States Vladikavkaz, Russia Yalova, Turkey Ndola, Zambia-See also:*...
, Republic of Dagestan. Two of the aircraft's three engines failed shortly after it took off from Vnukovo Airport at 14:07 local time (11:07 UTC); the pilots reported the loss of engines when the aircraft was at a height of around 9100 metres (29,855.6 ft). An emergency landing at Domodedovo International Airport
Domodedovo International Airport
Moscow Domodedovo Airport or Domodedovo International Airport is an international airport located in Domodedovsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia, south-southeast of the centre of Moscow...
was requested, and as the aircraft was in the process of landing, the third engine failed. The aircraft approached runway 32R from the right at almost right angles, overflying the threshold before turning right at 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) to the left of the runway and crossing over the runway, flying parallel with but to the right of the runway. The aircraft touched down 88 metres (288.7 ft) to the right of the runway centerline, and only 350 metres (1,148.3 ft) short of the end, about a half hour after its departure, landing in conditions of freezing rain.
The landing caused the plane to sustain major damage, and it was written off
Write-off
The term write-off describes a reduction in recognized value. In accounting terminology, it refers to recognition of the reduced or zero value of an asset. In income tax statements, it refers to a reduction of taxable income as recognition of certain expenses required to produce the income...
shortly after the incident. A passenger on board the plane said that the aircraft broke into three parts after landing. Later reports said that both the cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
and vertical stabilizer
Vertical stabilizer
The vertical stabilizers, vertical stabilisers, or fins, of aircraft, missiles or bombs are typically found on the aft end of the fuselage or body, and are intended to reduce aerodynamic side slip. It is analogical to a skeg on boats and ships.On aircraft, vertical stabilizers generally point upwards...
had separated from the aircraft, and that the wings and undercarriage had both been damaged.
Casualties
The emergency landing resulted in 87 people injured and two fatalities. Initial reports from the Russian ministry in charge of emergency situations had said that only 40 had been injured. The number of total injuries was later raised to 56, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Health and Social DevelopmentMinistry of Health and Social Development
The Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation is an agency of the government of Russia, headquartered in Moscow. As of 2010 Tatyana Golikova is the minister.-External links:* *...
.
One of the two dead was Gadzhimurad Magomedov, the brother of Magomedsalam Magomedov
Magomedsalam Magomedov
Magomedsalam Magomedaliyevich Magomedov is the President of Dagestan, a federal subject of the Russian Federation found in the North Caucasus region. His appointment by the President of Russia was approved by the parliament of Dagestan on 10 February 2010. Magomedov is an ethnic Dargin. His...
, the president of Dagestan.
The number of people on board the plane was unclear; early reports said that between 163 and 172 people were on board, but a number of 168, eight of which were crew members, was later settled on.
Aftermath
Russian authorities dispatched investigators to the site of the emergency landing, classifying the investigation as a "criminal probe," according to the Russian Investigative Committee. Prosecutor General Yury ChaikaYury Chaika
Yury Yakovlevich Chaika is the current Prosecutor General of Russia.-Career:Chaika began his career as an electrician in a shipyard. After serving in the army, he graduated from Sverdlovsk Institute of Law in 1976 and began work at Irkutsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office where he served as an...
was said to be "keeping a watchful eye" over the proceedings. Several hours after the incident occurred, the lead prosecutor in the investigation said that the preliminary results suggested a bird strike
Bird strike
A bird strike—sometimes called birdstrike, avian ingestion , bird hit, or BASH —is a collision between an airborne animal and a man-made vehicle, especially aircraft...
was responsible for the loss of engines.
By the day after the incident, investigators had recovered the flight data recorder
Flight data recorder
A flight data recorder is an electronic device employed to record any instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft. It is a device used to record specific aircraft performance parameters...
and a second data storing device, but had not located the cockpit voice recorder
Cockpit voice recorder
A cockpit voice recorder , often referred to as a "black box", is a flight recorder used to record the audio environment in the flight deck of an aircraft for the purpose of investigation of accidents and incidents...
. The Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) said that it had begun analysis of both recovered devices, which were said to be in "satisfactory condition." Analysis of the flight data recorder showed that eight minutes after the aircraft took off, at an altitude of 6500 metres (21,325.5 ft), the fuel supply to the engines fluctuated, and as the aircraft passed 9000 metres (29,527.6 ft), the outer two engines shut down. The crew at this point began a descent towards Domodedovo Airport. The center engine had a "period of instability," but its normal status was "restored and maintained" until the aircraft's landing. The MAK said it was unclear what caused the shut-down of the two engines, though the fuel supply at Vnukovo Airport was confirmed to meet standards.
On 10 December 2010, the MAK announced that it had located the cockpit voice recorder, analysis of which was planned to begin immediately.
On 1 April 2011, investigators announced that poor fuel quality had been ruled out as a cause of the crash, despite instrument readings that indicated issues with the fuel supply before the aircraft crashed.
On 26 September 2011, the MAK released its report into the incident, concluding that the cause was the flight engineer accidentally shutting off a fuel pump while transferring fuel. As a result, fuel consumption fluctuated, leading to unusual altitude and engine readings before the outer two engines shut down. At this point, the crew chose to bring the plane to Domodedovo Airport. The report said that the crew had not used all available options to deal with the loss of engine power, and had not followed procedures for landing with two nonfunctional engines. The report also noted that the crew had not been sufficiently trained to deal with the situation.
External links
- "Аварийная посадка в Аэропорту "Домодедово"" – Dagestan AirlinesDagestan AirlinesOJSC Dagestan Airlines is an airline based at Uytash Airport in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia, operating domestic and international scheduled and chartered flights.- History :...
- "Информация о госпитализированных пассажирах рейса 372 Внуково – Минеральные Воды «Дагестанских авиалиний»." Ministry of Health and Social DevelopmentMinistry of Health and Social DevelopmentThe Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation is an agency of the government of Russia, headquartered in Moscow. As of 2010 Tatyana Golikova is the minister.-External links:* *...
- "Tу-154М RA-85744 04.12.2010." Interstate Aviation Committee