Incident
At 1808 local time, the crew of a Tupolev Tu-134 received clearance for takeoff from runway 02 at Sukhumi-Babushara Airport. During the takeoff run, 26 seconds after beginning the roll and at a speed of 195 km/h, the crew observed a Let L-410M entering the runway. The Let L-410, registered CCCP-67191, was operating a scheduled passenger flight (SU73G) to Kutaisi with two pilots and nine passengers on board.
Sequence of Events
The captain of the Tupolev decided to abort the takeoff and initiated emergency braking. Spoilers were deployed and thrust reversers were activated. He chose to turn left to reach an exit taxiway. Simultaneously, the crew of the Let L-410 saw the Tupolev approaching from their right and increased engine power to move forward. Seven seconds after the Tupolev crew rejected the takeoff, at a speed of 216 km/h, the right wing of the Tupolev struck the Let L-410, which was destroyed on impact. The Tupolev continued rolling for approximately 514 meters, then veered off the runway to the left and came to rest 48 meters left of the runway centerline.
Aftermath
All 82 individuals on board the Tupolev Tu-134 evacuated without injury. All 11 persons on the Let L-410 were killed in the collision.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the collision resulted from a series of errors by the crew of the Let L-410, who failed to comply with instructions from air traffic control and ground controllers regarding taxiing procedures prior to takeoff, leading them to enter the runway without authorization. Contributing factors included poor management of flight organization at Sukhumi Airport and procedural violations by ATC and ground controllers, including the use of non-standard phraseology that may have caused confusion for the crew.