Sochi-Adler

On 31.08.2018 Boeing 737-800 VQ-BJI operated by UTAir Airlines conducted the scheduled flight UT 579 from Moscow (Vnukovo airport) to Sochi (Adler airport). During the preflight briefing (at 19:50) the crew was provided with the necessary weather information. At 20:15, the crew had passed the medical examination at Vnukovo airport mobile RWY medical unit. The Daily Check line maintenance (DY) was done on 30.08.2018 at Vnukovo airport by UTG aviation services, ZAO; job card # 11465742. The A/C takeoff weight was 68680 kg and the MAC was 26.46 %, that was within the AFM limitations for the actual conditions. At 21:33 the takeoff from Vnukovo airport was performed. The flight along he prescribed route was performed on FL350 in auto mode and without any issues. The F/O acted as the pilot flying (PF). When approaching the Sochi aerodrome traffic control area, the flight crew was provided by the aerodrome approach control with the approach and descending conditions, as well as with the weather conditions near the aerodrome. After descending to the height specified by Sochi Approach, the pilot contacted Sochi Radar, waited for the weather that met his minimum and was cleared for landing. In course of the first approach to landing (from the altitude about 30 m) when RVR got down because of heavy showers, the PIC took controls and performed the go-around. In course of the second approach, the crew performed the landing but failed to keep the airplane within the RWY. The airplane had landed at about 1285 m from the RWY threshold, overrun the threshold, broke through the aerodrome fencing, and came to rest in Mzymta river bed. This ended with the fire outbreak of fuel leaking from the damaged LH wing fuel tank. The crew performed the passenger evacuation. The aerodrome alert measures were taken and the fire was brought under control. Eighteen occupants were injured while all other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The airplane departed Moscow-Chkhalovksy AFB at 0138LT on a flight to Hmeimin AFB located near Latakia, Syria, carrying 84 passengers and 8 crew members. At 0343LT, the aircraft landed at Sochi-Adler Airport to refuel. At 0525LT, the takeoff was initiated from runway 24. After a course of 34 seconds, the pilot-in-command initiated the rotation at a speed of 300 km/h. Shortly after liftoff, the undercarriage were raised and the pilot continued to climb with a nose-up angle of 15°. About 53 seconds after takeoff, at an altitude of 157 metres, the captain asked the flaps to be retracted while the aircraft was climbing to a height of 231 metres with a speed of 360 km/h. Following erroneous movements on the control column, the aircraft nosed down and its speed increased to 373 km/h when the GPWS alarm sounded in the cockpit. With a rate of descent of 30 metres per second, the aircraft reached the speed of 540 km/h, rolled to the left to an angle of 50° and eventually crashed in the sea some 1,270 metres offshore, at 05:25 and 49 seconds. The flight took 73 seconds between liftoff and impact with water. The wreckage was found 2,760 metres from the end of runway 24 and 340 metres to the left of its extended centerline, at a depth of 30 metres. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 92 occupants were killed, among them 64 members of the Alexandrov Choir of the Red Army, their Artistic Director, nine journalists, seven officers from the Ministry of Defence, two senior officials and one representative of a public Company who were traveling to Hmeimim Air Base to commemorate the New Year's Eve celebrations with Russian soldiers based in Syria.

On 2 May 2006 the Armavia A320, registered EK-32009, was undertaking passenger flight RNV 967 from Zvartnots (Yerevan, Armenia) to Adler (Sochi, Russia). Preliminary preparation of the crew was conducted on 23-24 May 2006 under the guidance of the airline’s Flight Director, in accordance with the requirements of ROLRGA RA-2000, Section 7.2.1. Pre-flight briefing of the crew was conducted on the day of departure, under the guidance of the Captain, in accordance with the requirements of ROLRGA RA-2000, Section 8.2.1 On 2 May 2006 at 19.30 the crew passed the pre-flight medical examination. The crew’s pre-flight rest period exceeded 24 hours. In accordance with ROLRGA RA-2000 and Work-Rest Norms for civil aircraft crews from the Republic of Armenia, each crew member is individually responsible for adherence to the pre-flight rest regime. It should be noted that it was difficult for the crew to take adequate rest during the day before the night flight, due to impairment of bio-rhythms. That is most likely why, in their cockpit conversations the crew members mentioned that they had not got enough sleep. In order to make their decision for departure, the crew obtained the observed weather data and the weather forecast for the takeoff, landing and alternate aerodromes that met the requirements for IFR flights. According to the documents submitted, the airplane takeoff weight and the centre of gravity were 62,712 kg and 29.9% mean aerodynamic chord, i.e. within the A320 FCOM limitations. There were 113 occupants on board: 105 passengers (including 5 children and 1 baby), 2 pilots, 5 flight attendants and 1 engineer. The airplane took off from Zvartnots airport at 20:47. Takeoff, climb and cruise were uneventful. The first communication between the Sochi approach controller and the crew took place at 21:10:20. At that moment the airplane was beyond the coverage area of Sochi aerodrome radar. Up until 21:17 the approach controller and the crew discussed the observed and forecast weather, and as a result the crew decided to return to Yerevan. At 21:26:37, after the decision had already been made, the crew asked the controller about the latest observed weather. At 21:30:49 the controller informed the crew that visibility was 3,600 m and the cloud ceiling 170 m. At 21.31.14 the crew decided to continue the flight to Sochi airport. The next communication with the approach controller was at 22:00:45. At that moment the airplane was descending to an altitude of 3,600 m heading to GUKIN point and was being tracked by the Sochi radar. The approach controller cleared the airplane for descent to 1,800 m and reported the observed weather at Sochi, as at 22:00, for runway 06, which was above the aerodrome minimum. Then the crew was handed over to the holding and tower controllers, and was cleared for descent to 600 m, as per aerodrome pressure QNH 1016 hPa, before entering the turn to final. While performing the turn to final, the runway extended centreline was overshot. Having eliminated the deviation, the airplane started descending along the glide slope, following the approach pattern. At 22:10:45 the crew reported extension of the landing gear and their readiness for landing. In response they were advised of the distance of 10 km and weather 4000 x 190, and were cleared for landing. However, about 30 seconds later, the controller advised the crew of the observed cloud ceiling at 100 m and instructed them to stop their descent and carry out a right turn and climb up to 600 m and also to get in touch with the holding controller. The last communication with the crew was at 22:12:35. After that the crew did not respond to any of the controller’s calls. At 22:13:03 the airplane struck the water, was destroyed and sank.

The aircraft departed Moscow-Domodedovo Airport at 2140LT on a schedule service to Sochi-Adler Airport. At 2253LT, while cruising at an altitude of 12,100 metres, the aircraft suffered an in-flight explosion, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field located near Gluboki. First rescuers arrived on the scene about 8 hours later. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 46 occupants were killed.

The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Sochi to Sukhumi, carrying foreign and Russian journalists. On final approach to Babushara Airport, at a height of 300 metres, the aircraft was hit by a surface-to-air Strela missile and crashed in the bay of Sukhumi about 4 km offshore. All 27 occupants were killed.

The day prior to the accident, the aircraft was supposed to fly from Riga to Sochi but the flight was diverted to Sukhumi due to poor weather at destination. On the morning of January 6, the crew completed a positioning flight from Sukhumi to Sochi-Adler without any passengers on board. Following a wrong approach configuration, the aircraft landed at an excessive speed and after touchdown, the crew failed to use the brakes properly. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran and came to a halt. All six crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

During the takeoff roll at Sochi-Adler, at a speed of 220 km/h at a distance of 1,100 meters from the runway end, the aircraft's speed fluctuated for about 2-3 seconds. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. The airplane's speed increased to 250 km/h until the reverse thrust activated. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and eventually collided with trees. 15 occupants, among them five crew members, were injured. The aircraft was written off.

Shortly after takeoff from Sochi-Adler Airport, while climbing by night at an altitude of 200 meters, the airplane initiated a right turn according to departure procedures then made a left turn, entered a dive and crashed into the Black Sea, about 10 km offshore. Some debris and dead bodies were found in the evening while the main wreckage sank by a depth of about 1,000 meters. None of the 109 occupants survived the crash and the wreckage was not recovered.

While approaching Sochi-Adler Airport on a flight from Simferopol, the crew was cleared to descend to 1,200 m, 600 m and then 500 meters. Once this altitude was reached, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and the four engine aircraft went through a cloudy area when it struck tree tops and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located 21 km southeast of the airport. The airplane was totally destroyed and the debris were scattered on a distance of 300 m by 150 m. All 81 occupants were killed.

While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 meters in good weather conditions, the four engine airplane went out of control, entered a dive and reached an angle of 107° and a speed of 630 km/h before crashing in a snow covered field located 10 km east of Chebotovka, in the Rostov region. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 59 occupants were killed.