What happened
During the final approach phase to Moscow-Vnukovo, the flight crew failed to deploy the landing gear. This oversight led to a belly landing on the runway surface. As the aircraft slid across the ground, several propeller blades broke off upon contact with the runway, causing significant damage to the fuselage. Following the impact, a fire broke out on the aircraft.
The accident resulted in 16 fatalities and left 46 passengers injured, while 40 others escaped without injury. The fire was fueled by a combination of a hydraulic leak and an electrical short-circuit located within the cargo compartment.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the primary reason for the accident was the crew's failure to adhere to the approach checklist, which led to the undercarriage remaining retracted.
Several contributing factors were identified during the investigation:
- The detachment of propeller blades during the landing caused extensive structural damage.
- An electrical short-circuit in the cargo hold and a simultaneous hydraulic leak triggered the post-impact fire.
- Inadequate coordination among the cabin crew, who did not properly execute safety and evacuation protocols.
- A delayed response from ground emergency services, as firefighters arrived at the site approximately 15 to 20 minutes after the event occurred.