Incident Overview
At Yerevan-Erebuni Airport, during the takeoff roll of an aircraft, the captain observed a military bus entering the runway. The aircraft was traveling at a speed of approximately 95 km/h at the time of the sighting.
Sequence of Events
The captain executed a right turn, followed by a left turn in an attempt to avoid a collision. Despite these maneuvers, the right wing of the aircraft struck the minibus when the aircraft reached a speed of 110 km/h. The impact destroyed the minibus and caused the aircraft to come to a halt approximately 300 meters further down the runway, with its right wing partially torn off.
Aftermath
All 37 occupants aboard the aircraft escaped without injury. Among the ten people on the bus, four were killed and six sustained serious injuries.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the aircraft crew had been cleared for takeoff. The bus driver had not established any contact with the tower and chose to cross the runway without prior permission or traffic check. Air traffic control was reportedly unaware of the presence of the minibus at the time of the incident.