One of Russian carrier Aeroflot’s Airbus A321s has been damaged in an accident at Kaliningrad, apparently suffering a nose-gear collapse.
The aircraft is pictured on social media with its nose in contact with the ground and evacuation slides deployed.
Russia’s emergency situations ministry for the Kaliningrad region says that the main airport, Khrabrovo, is shut as a result of the accident.
It states that the aircraft “skidded off the runway” after landing, following a service from Moscow at 22:55 on 3 January.
None of the 167 occupants was injured. Recovery operations have commenced, the ministry adds.
Preliminary information, yet to be formally confirmed, indicates that the aircraft involved is VP-BES, and that it had conducted an approach to runway 24.
Meteorological data for Kaliningrad at the time shows snow and rain showers, and reduced visibility.
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that VP-BES is a sharklet-equipped A321, barely a year old, powered by CFM International CFM56 engines. The extent of damage to the jet is unclear.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
