Date & Time:
Mar 7, 1968 at 1021 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-124
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-45019
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Volgograd – Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
2 35 05 04
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
SU3153
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Volgograd Airport, after a course of 1,000 meters and while at a speed of 260 km/h, the captain attempted to rotate and pulled the control column. In the same time, he mistakenly pushed the spoiler switch for a period of three seconds. After rotation, the aircraft climbed to a height of 10-15 meters and flew for a distance of about 400 meters then banked left and struck the ground. Upon impact, the left wing was torn off and the airplane crashed in a grassy area and came to rest, broken in three. The wreckage was found 83 meters to the left of the runway and 1,640 meters from the runway threshold. 44 people were evacuated safely while four others were seriously injured, among them the copilot, the board mechanic and the board agent. The radio navigator was killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the spoiler switch was inadequately placed on the steering column of the aircraft, allowing the pilot to activate the switch inadvertently prior to takeoff.
