Russian investigators have opened an inquiry after a Yakutia Sukhoi Superjet 100 sufferd a runway excursion and apparent landing-gear collapse at Yakutsk.
The aircraft had been operating flight R3414 from Ulan-Ude and had landed at 03:20 local time on 10 October.
It came to rest having rolled “outside the runway”, says the airline, and those on board were evacuated through the emergency slides.
Russian federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia says the main landing-gear collapsed.
Images from the scene show that the aircraft’s nose-gear appears intact and that, as a result, the aircraft came to rest nose-high, with its PowerJet SaM146 engines and aft fuselage in contact with the ground.
Rosaviatsia says the coefficient of friction on the runway at the time was 0.45. Visibility was good, with a cloud base of 600m (1,970ft). Temperatures at the time were around minus 3°C.
The authority states that 87 passengers and five crew members were on board, although the airline’s initial figures indicated 91 occupants.
Yakutsk airport’s operator says the aircraft was “damaged” during the landing and that four of those on board required medical treatment.
The runway was closed following the accident, re-opening at 10:30 for departures, although arrivals have been stopped while the Superjet is removed.
Eastern Siberia’s transport prosecutor’s office says it has organised a check on compliance with flight-safety legislation in the aftermath of the event.
Yakutia has a fleet of five Superjet 100s, including two of the long-range variant. The carrier says the closure of the runway resulted in three of its flights, from St Petersburg and Moscow, to be diverted to Chulman.
Yakutsk airport NOTAM information indicates that reconstruction work has been affecting runway operations, with the threshold for runway 05R being displaced by 1,150m. Runway 05R is listed as being available only for take-off while the opposite-direction 23L is available for landing only.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
