Date & Time:
Dec 7, 1973 at 2229 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-104
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-42503
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kutaisi - Mineralnye Vody - Moscow
MSN:
0 2 19 01
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
SU964
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
68
Pax fatalities:
7
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
12
Aircraft flight hours:
18300
Aircraft flight cycles:
10983
Circumstances:
The descent to Domodedovo Airport was initiated by night and marginal weather conditions with limited visibility due to snow falls. On final, the airplane was unstable and not properly aligned on the glide so the captain decided to make a turn to the left when the airplane banked left to 35-40°, causing the left wing to struck the ground 135 meters short of runway threshold and 25 meters to the right of its extended centerline. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames and came to rest 340 meters past the threshold and 220 meters to the left of the runway. Five crew members and seven passengers were killed while 63 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. Within 10 days after the accident, four other passengers died from their injuries.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew adopted a wrong approach configuration in marginal weather conditions and failed to initiate a go-around maneuver while the aircraft was not properly aligned on the glide and was unstable. The sharp turn completed by the captain caused the airplane to become uncontrollable and to crash.
