No fatalities

Nose Gear Malfunction Forces Gear-Up Landing at Moscow-Domodedovo (VQ-BBX)

Moscow-Domodedovo, RussiaLanding (descent or approach)

On July 31, 2015, an Embraer EMB-120 Brasília (registration VQ-BBX) operated by RusLine was involved in an aviation accident near Moscow-Domodedovo, Russia during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

During approach to Moscow-Domodedovo, crew discovered nose gear stuck. After manual attempts failed, they executed a nose gear-up landing on runway 32L. All 31 occupants evacuated safely, but aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Incident Overview

A flight from Ulyanovsk proceeded uneventfully until the crew began the descent to Moscow-Domodedovo Airport. While following the approach checklist, they discovered that the nose gear had failed to deploy and remained stuck in its wheel well.

Emergency Procedures

The crew made several attempts to lower the gear manually, but all efforts were unsuccessful. Consequently, they decided to carry out a nose gear-up landing. The aircraft entered a holding circuit for approximately 45 minutes to prepare for the emergency landing.

Landing and Aftermath

The aircraft landed on runway 32L, then slid on its nose for several dozen meters before coming to rest. All 31 occupants evacuated the aircraft safely. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.