Moscow–Sochi Air Crash: 92 Killed in Nighttime Departure (RA-85572)

Flight Details and Departure Sequence The aircraft departed Moscow-Chkhalovksy AFB at 0138LT for Hmeimin AFB near Latakia, Syria, with 84 passengers and 8 crew members aboard. It landed at Sochi-Adler Airport at 0343LT for refueling. At 0525LT, the crew began takeoff from runway 24. After 34 seconds, the pilot-in-command initiated rotation at 300 km/h. Shortly after liftoff, the undercarriage was raised and the aircraft climbed with a 15° nose-up angle. ## Loss of Control and Impact About 53 seconds after takeoff, at 157 metres altitude, the captain requested flap retraction while the aircraft was climbing to 231 metres at 360 km/h. Following erroneous movements on the control column, the aircraft nosed down, accelerating to 373 km/h when the GPWS alarm sounded. With a descent rate of 30 metres per second, the aircraft reached 540 km/h, rolled left to 50°, and crashed into the sea 1,270 metres offshore at 05:25:49. The interval between liftoff and water impact was 73 seconds. ## Wreckage Location and Casualties The wreckage was found 2,760 metres from the end of runway 24 and 340 metres left of its extended centerline, at a depth of 30 metres. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, killing all 92 occupants. Among the dead were 64 members of the Alexandrov Choir of the Red Army, their Artistic Director, nine journalists, seven Ministry of Defence officers, two senior officials, and one representative of a public company, all traveling to Hmeimim Air Base to commemorate New Year's Eve celebrations with Russian soldiers in Syria.