By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Jan 1st 2011 13:57Z, last updated Friday, Jan 7th 2011 15:23Z
A Kolavia Tupolev TU-154B2, registration RA-85588 performing flight 7K-348 from Surgut to Moscow Domodedovo (Russia) with 116 passengers, 8 crew and 10 off duty crew, was preparing for takeoff from Surgut and had just been pushed back when a fire broke out. the crew could not extinguish the fire which spread into the fuselage. the airplane was evacuated. three passengers were killed, 43 people received injuries with 39 of them being hospitalized, the others remained uninjured. the aircraft burned down completely.the Russian Health Ministry reported on Jan 1st one person was killed and 34 people were hospitalized, 4 of them being in critical condition.Russia’s MAK (Accident Investigation Committee) confirmed RA-85588 suffered an accident at Surgut killing one passenger, the aircraft burned down. the MAK have initiated an investigation. on Jan 2nd the MAK added, that both flight data recorders have been recovered, analysis has begun. on Jan 3rd the MAK said, that all three engines had been started when the fire broke out. the quality of recordings is good, the work at the accident site is hampered by low temperatures however. on Jan 4th the MAK reported, that the fire broke out in the rear of the aircraft between frames 62 and 65, neither engines nor the APU were the source of the fire.Russia’s Rosaviatsia (Civil Aviation Authority) said, that the engine caught fire when the airplane was preparing for takeoff. fire fighters were able to extinguish the fire within 20 minutes but not before the airpane completely burned down.Russia’s Rostransnadzor (Ministry of Transport) said on Jan 1st, the airplane had just been pushed back, the engines were being started when ground staff ordered an emergency shut down of the engines due to a fire. the engines were shut down, the airplane de-powered and an evacuation was initiated. the fire reached the inside of the passenger cabin. Emergency services were able to extinguish the fire about 42 minutes after the fire broke out. the airplane was destroyed. 3 people were killed, 39 people were injured. the Ministry have initiated an investigation in cooperation with the Russian prosecution office. on Jan 2nd the Ministry added, that after the assessment of risk vs economics involving the continued operation of the 15 TU-154B types remaining in service in Russia the Ministry have proposed to suspend operation of TU-154B aircraft until the factors leading to the accident have been determined.the airline reported in a press release dated Jan 2nd, that 43 people including 8 crew members were hospitalized with burns of first and second degree as well as injuries from smoke inhalation. three persons have not been located so far. the airplane carrying 116 passengers, 8 crew and 10 off duty crew was taxiing out for departure at the time and burned completely down.Local Authorities in Surgut confirmed one fatality on Jan 2nd and reported two passengers (a father and son) missing. on Jan 6th Authorities confirmed, that the remains of three passengers have been recovered.One of the pilots reported, that they had started the engines and were just connecting the generators when they received the command to shut down. Passengers started to shout “fire”, almost instantly smoke came through all openings into the cockpit.Passengers reported, that people in the last seat row started to shout fire, then smoke quickly entered the cabin followed by actual fire that rapidly spread through the cabin along the ceiling.an airport surveillance video shows no fire or smoke visible outside the aircraft when all left hand emergency exits flew open and passengers emerged onto the wing, slided down the front and aft door where the chutes had deployed and jumped down from the L2 door where the side had not deployed (right side of aircraft not visible).Ground video of the burning aircraft (Video: AlfaZlo):youtube.com/watch?v=2kQSQlb7MuAThe burnt down aircraft:
