An Ilyushin Il-114T twin-turboprop freighter crashed on take-off at Moscow Domodedovo Airport on 4 December, killing five of the seven crew and seriously injuring the other two.
The aircraft, UK91004, banked suddenly from an altitude of 80-100ft (24-30m) immediately after take-off, hit the concrete fence surrounding the airfield and broke into three pieces. The flight and cockpit recorders have been recovered from the wreckage.
A strong crosswind gust and an engine failure are being put forward as possible causes of the crash, but some Moscow sources say overloading is suspected. The crosswind is reported to have been above the maximum allowable for the type.
An Il-114 prototype crashed in similar circumstances on take-off from Zhukovsky flight test centre several years ago because of a fault in the powerplant control system which caused a propeller to feather uncommanded.
The Il-114T belonged to its manufacturer, TAPO Chkalov plant of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and was carrying aircraft parts from the Ilyushin plant to Tashkent.
• All 17 people on board an Asian Spirit Airlines Let L-410A were killed when it crashed on a Philippines domestic flight on 7 December, while en route from Manila to Cauayan.
Source: Flight International
