What happened
On July 8, 2006, an Airbus A310, registration F-OGYP, was operating a scheduled passenger service from Domodedovo to Irkutsk under the operator OАО Aviakompania Sibir. The aircraft was carrying 195 passengers and 8 crew members. Following a routine flight, the crew began their descent into Irkutsk airport at approximately 22:17.
The aircraft touched down on runway 30 at 22:43:30. During the landing roll, the crew had deployed the spoilers and set the autobrake to low mode. Because of a known malfunction reported during a prior flight, maintenance personnel had deactivated the thrust reverser on the left engine. As the pilot engaged the thrust reverser on the right engine, the left engine unexpectedly increased its forward thrust. This asymmetric thrust caused the aircraft to accelerate and veer toward the right side of the runway.
Despite significant braking efforts by the crew, the aircraft failed to stop within the runway limits. The plane overran the end of the runway at approximately 180 kph, traveling across wet ground for about 300 meters. The aircraft eventually struck a concrete airport barrier and several nearby garages. The impact ruptured the fuel tanks, triggering a massive fire that consumed the interior of the plane. The accident resulted in 125 fatalities, including the pilots and three flight attendants.
Findings
- The left engine's thrust reverser had been intentionally deactivated by maintenance due to a previously reported malfunction.
- The deployment of the right engine's thrust reverser coincided with an unexpected increase in forward thrust from the left engine, creating a severe directional imbalance.
- The aircraft's speed and trajectory prevented the crew from regaining control before the runway excursion occurred.