What happened
A flight departing from Moscow-Chkhalovksy Air Base for Hmeimin Air Base in Syria experienced a fatal accident during its initial climb. After a refueling stop at Sochi-Adler Airport, the Tu-204 departed from runway 24. The aircraft reached a rotation speed of 300 km/h and began its ascent. Approximately 53 seconds into the climb, while at an altitude of 157 metres, the crew attempted to retract the flaps. During this phase, the aircraft experienced erratic movements on the control column, causing the nose to pitch down sharply.
As the descent accelerated, the aircraft reached a speed of 540 km/h and entered a steep left roll of 50 degrees. The plane impacted the sea roughly 1,270 metres from the shoreline at 05:25:49 local time. The impact occurred only 73 seconds after liftoff. The wreckage was later located 30 metres below the surface, positioned 2,760 metres from the end of the runway.
The crash resulted in 92 fatalities, including all passengers and crew members. Among the deceased were 64 members of the Alexandrov Choir, several journalists, and various military and government officials traveling to Syria for New Year's Eve celebrations.
Findings
The investigation determined that the accident was caused by a loss of control during the night climb. The pilot-in-command experienced spatial disorientation, which was triggered by a combination of extreme fatigue and excessive neuropsychic stress.