Moscow-Domodedovo to Volgograd Flight: In-Flight Explosion and Crash Near Buchalki (RA-65080)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence The aircraft departed Moscow-Domodedovo Airport at 2230LT on a regular service to Volgograd. It carried 35 passengers and a crew of nine, for a total of 44 occupants. Approximately 23 minutes after departure, while cruising at an altitude of 8,100 metres, the aircraft experienced an in-flight explosion. Following the explosion, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field near Buchalki. The wreckage was located in the middle of the night, and all 44 people on board were killed. The source notes that the accident occurred at the same time as an incident involving a Tupolev TU-154 operated by Sibir Airlines. ## Official Findings Three days after the accident, the Federal Safety Board (FSB) reported that the crash was the consequence of the explosion of a bomb. According to the FSB, two women who were flying from Makhatshala landed in Moscow at 1945LT and were able to board the aircraft with the explosive device due to security deficiencies.