Gazprom-Airplane crashed in Russia - three dead
Directly from the workshop, a plane crashed in Russia during a test flight. Three people were on board - none survived. The plane belonged to Gazprom in Russia.
According to Russian news agencies, three crew members were killed in a plane crash in Russia. The Russian regional jet of the type Suchoi Superjet 100 had undergone regular repairs and was on a test flight when it happened about an hour after takeoff near Moscow, reported TASS news agency. "Preliminary information indicates that three pilots were killed. Everyone on board," quoted the agency emergency services.
TASS further reported that the plane belonged to the Gazprom conglomerate. According to state media, the plane was on its way to Moscow's Vnukovo Airport. It crashed into a wooded area in the Kolomensky District about 60 kilometers south-east of the Russian capital. Photos and videos on social media networks showed a gray smoke cloud rising from the crash site. According to RIA news agency, the Russian investigative committee has launched an investigation into the crash.
Russia is largely cut off from the market for spare parts due to Western sanctions following the annexation of Crimea. In August, a Superjet 100 completed its maiden flight, which had been completely stripped of imported components. The flight reportedly lasted about 54 minutes. During this time, the aircraft reached a height of 3000 meters and a maximum speed of 343 kilometers per hour. The Superjet 100 is the first passenger jet developed in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The medium-haul aircraft can carry up to 100 passengers and can cover distances of between 3200 and 4620 kilometers. The first Superjet was delivered in April 2011.
The history of the plane is rich in incidents and accidents: In September 2012, a flight from Astrakhan to Moscow was cancelled due to a technical fault. A few weeks later, an SSJ-100 had to make an emergency landing in Naberezhnye Chelny. The most serious incident involving a Superjet occurred in May 2012 when a plane with 45 passengers and 4 crew members on board rammed the steep slope of a volcano during a demonstration flight. There were no survivors. In 2013, the authorities in Moscow withdrew four SSJ-100s from service. During tests, problems with the landing gear and wing flaps were detected, the aviation agency Interfax reported.
Despite the ongoing Western sanctions affecting Gazprom due to Russia's annexation of Crimea, the crashed aircraft was still a part of their conglomerate. The international community is closely watching the investigation into this aircraft crash in Russia, given its significance in the Russian aviation industry.
