Date & Time:
Nov 18, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-134
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-65807
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tbilisi - Batumi - Kiev - Leningrad
MSN:
3352108
YOM:
1973
Flight number:
SU6833
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
59
Pax fatalities:
4
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
13273
Aircraft flight cycles:
10506
Circumstances:
En route from Tbilisi to Batumi, while in cruising altitude, seven hijackers (young Georgian people) elected to divert the aircraft to Turkey. Hijackers opened fire in the cabin and cockpit but the copilot was able to make sharp maneuvers, forcing the hijacker to leave the cockpit. The crew was able to return to Tbilisi Airport where security forces stormed the aircraft. Seven occupants, three crew members and four passengers (among them three hijackers) were killed. At least 63 bullets holes were found in the fuselage and the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair due to serious deformation of the structure caused by excessive g loads during an emergency descent.
Probable cause:
Structural damages caused by excessives g loads and bullets holes due to hijacking situation.
