Date & Time:
Aug 29, 1973 at 0639 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-104
Operator:
Registration:
OK-MDE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Baghdad - Damascus - Nicosia - Prague
MSN:
8 66 012 02
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
OK531
Country:
Cyprus
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
62
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown on runway 14 at Nicosia Airport, the airplane deviated to the right then veered off runway and came to rest in flames about 150 metes from the runway end. All 70 occupants escaped, nine of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The failure of the pilot to stop the aircraft within the nominally adequate runway distance available and the subsequent entry of the aircraft into a right turn at high speed, as a result of which the aircraft was subjected to lateral centrifugal forces and side skidded off the runway.
