A passenger jet plane in Russia crashed near Moscow on Saturday, July 13, 2024, while flying empty, resulting in the tragic death of its crew of three. Russian authorities, as reported by news media, confirmed the incident. The Sukhoi Superjet 100, a twin-engine regional jet, went down in the Moscow region according to Russian emergency officials. The aircraft belonged to Gazprom Avia, a carrier owned by the Russian state-controlled natural gas giant Gazprom. The plane took off from an aircraft-making plant at Lukhovitsy, 110 kilometers (68 miles) southeast of the Russian capital, where it had undergone repairs. It was en route to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport when the crash occurred.
The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top state criminal investigation agency, has launched a probe into the crash. Initial reports suggest the aircraft was on a routine flight to assess its operational status following recent repairs. However, the precise cause of the crash remains unknown at this early stage of the investigation. The Sukhoi Superjet 100 has a turbulent history since its inception. Designed to compete with similar models from Bombardier and Embraer, the aircraft has been plagued by a series of high-profile accidents and operational challenges.
In May 2012, a Sukhoi Superjet 100 crashed into a dormant volcano during a demonstration flight in Indonesia, killing all 45 people aboard. The investigation revealed that the crew was unaware of high ground and ignored signals from the terrain warning system while flying in thick clouds. This incident significantly damaged the aircraft’s reputation in the international market. Another devastating crash occurred in May 2019 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where a Sukhoi Superjet 100 was struck by lightning shortly after takeoff. The plane made an emergency landing, but the pilot’s decision to land with unburned fuel at excessive speed led to a rough touchdown, which sparked a fire, killing 41 people. The investigation into this crash blamed the pilot for the improper landing procedure.
Ever since the Sukhoi Superjet 100 entered service, it has been plagued by malfunctions and high maintenance costs. These issues have made many Russian carriers reluctant to purchase the aircraft. The jet’s operational reliability has been repeatedly questioned, with airlines reporting frequent technical problems that have led to significant downtime and repair costs. Russia’s ambitious attempts to widely market the plane abroad have largely failed. The few foreign customers who initially adopted the Superjet have since phased it out of service due to the ongoing operational and maintenance challenges. The aircraft’s limited success outside Russia has been a significant setback for the country’s aviation industry, which had hoped the Superjet would help establish it as a competitive player in the global market.
Gazprom Avia, the carrier operating the crashed Superjet, is owned by the Russian state-controlled natural gas giant Gazprom. The airline primarily serves the needs of Gazprom and its subsidiaries, providing passenger and cargo transportation services. The recent crash adds to the growing list of incidents involving the Superjet 100, raising further concerns about its safety and reliability. The Investigative Committee’s probe into the crash will likely focus on multiple factors, including potential technical failures, maintenance procedures, and crew actions. As the investigation unfolds, more details are expected to emerge, shedding light on the circumstances leading to this tragic accident.
