Alrosa Flight 514

{{short description|Aviation accident – electrical failure followed by emergency landing}}

{{Infobox aircraft occurrence

| image = Туполев Ту-154 90A851, Москва - Внуково RP7965.jpg

| alt =

| caption = RA-85684, the Tu-154 involved, seen in June 2009

| occurrence_type = Accident

| date = {{Start date|2010|09|07|df=y}}

| summary = Emergency landing and runway overrun following total loss of electrical power

| site = Izhma Airport, Russia

| coordinates = {{coord|65|01|54|N|53|58|12|E|display=inline,title|type:event}}

| aircraft_type = Tupolev Tu-154M

| aircraft_name =

| operator = Alrosa

| IATA =

| ICAO =

| callsign = MIRNY 514

| tail_number = RA-85684

| origin = Polyarny Airport, Udachny, Russia

| destination = Domodedovo International Airport, Moscow, Russia

| occupants = 81

| passengers = 72

| crew = 9

| fatalities = 0

| injuries = 0

| survivors = 81

}}

Alrosa Flight 514 was a Tupolev Tu-154 passenger jet on a domestic scheduled flight from Udachny to Moscow, Russia, that on 7 September 2010 made a successful emergency landing at a remote airstrip after suffering an in-flight total electrical failure. All 81 people on board escaped unharmed.

The Tupolev was en route at cruise altitude when the failure occurred, which disabled the fuel system and all navigational and radio equipment, meaning that the aircraft would not have been able to reach its destination. The crew decided to attempt an emergency landing at the disused Izhma Airport. The aircraft overran the end of the runway and came to rest among the vegetation, damaged but still on its landing gear.

The crew of Flight 514 were subsequently decorated for their actions, and the aircraft was successfully repaired and flown out of the airfield to resume service with Alrosa.{{cite news |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/video-test-pilots-extract-stranded-alrosa-tu-154-354735/ |title=VIDEO: Test pilots extract stranded Alrosa Tu-154 |first=David |last=Kaminski-Morrow |date=23 March 2010 |accessdate=24 March 2011}}

Accident

Flight 514 was over Usinsk, at an altitude of {{convert|10,600|m|ft}} (FL 348) when the first signs of a problem were noticed at about 06:59 local time (02:59 UTC). Shortly after, the aircraft suffered a complete failure of the electrical system, which resulted in the loss of navigational systems and electric fuel pumps.{{cite web|url=http://avherald.com/h?article=430a1d01&opt=0 |title= Accident: Alrosa Mirny T154 at Izhma on September 7, 2010, loss of electrics and landing on helicopter platform |work=The Aviation Herald |first=Simon |last=Hradecky |date=7 September 2010 |accessdate=8 September 2010}} The loss of the pumps prevented the transfer of fuel from the wing tanks to the engine supply tank in the fuselage, leaving the aircraft with only {{convert|3300|kg|lb}} of usable fuel, enough for 30 minutes of flight.{{cite web|url=http://www.bnkomi.ru/data/news/5731/ |script-title=ru:Следствие опечатает самолет в Ижме |publisher=Komi |language=Russian |date=7 September 2010 |accessdate=8 September 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100912111954/http://www.bnkomi.ru/data/news/5731/| archivedate= 12 September 2010 | url-status= live}}

At about 07:47, the emergency authorities at Izhma were informed that the aircraft could make an emergency landing at the local airport. Izhma Airport is a former airfield that is now used only for helicopters, and the {{convert|1325|m|ft|adj=mid|-long}} runway is closed but not abandoned. The airfield, having closed to fixed-wing aircraft in 2003, was no longer marked on aeronautical charts.{{cite web|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/pilots-called-heroes-after-crash-landing/415328.html |title=Pilots Called Heroes After Crash Landing |work=The Moscow Times |date=9 September 2010 |accessdate=9 September 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100909111627/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/pilots-called-heroes-after-crash-landing/415328.html| archivedate= 9 September 2010 | url-status= live}}

The passengers were moved to the front of the aircraft. The electrical failure also caused a loss of the radio system, flaps and slats. Two attempts to land were aborted. On the third attempt,{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20100907-0 |title=RA-85684 Accident description |publisher=Aviation Safety Network |accessdate=8 September 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100911214958/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20100907-0| archivedate= 11 September 2010 | url-status= live}} a successful emergency landing was made at 07:55 local time. The aircraft overran the runway by {{convert|160|m|ft}},{{cite web|url=http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=390975 |script-title=ru:Аварийная посадка в Коми: у самолета отказало всё оборудование |publisher=Vesti |language=Russian |date=7 September 2010 |accessdate=8 September 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100908074125/http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=390975| archivedate= 8 September 2010 | url-status= live}} and sustained some damage in the process. The aircraft landed at a speed of {{convert|350|to|380|km/h|kn mph}}, faster than normal, due to the lack of flaps. Although the flaps are powered by hydraulics, the switches operating them are electrical. All nine crew and 72 passengers evacuated using the aircraft's evacuation slides. No injuries were reported.

Aircraft

The aircraft operating the flight was a tri-jet Tupolev Tu-154M with registration RA-85684 and serial number 90A-851. It was built in 1990.

Aftermath

After evacuating the aircraft and while awaiting rescue, some of the passengers searched for mushrooms, a popular pastime in Russia. A sports complex at Izhma was used as temporary accommodations for the unexpected visitors, due to a lack of hotel space locally.{{cite web|url=http://lenta.ru/news/2010/09/07/komi/ |script-title=ru:В Коми аварийно сел Ту-154 |publisher=Lenta |language=Russian |date=7 September 2010 |accessdate=8 September 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100909001927/http://lenta.ru/news/2010/09/07/komi/| archivedate= 9 September 2010 | url-status= live}} They were later flown by Mil Mi-8 helicopter to Ukhta Airport,{{cite web |url=http://www.newsbcm.com/doc/220 |title=Tu-154 flying from Yakutia to Moscow makes emergency landing |publisher=News BCM |date=7 September 2010 |accessdate=8 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912020536/http://www.newsbcm.com/doc/220 |archivedate=12 September 2010 |url-status=dead }} where a replacement Tupolev Tu-154 flew them on to Moscow. Two passengers decided to continue their journey by rail instead. The passengers of Flight 514 called for the flight crew to be honoured for their actions. The crew remained in Ukhta to assist authorities with their investigation into the accident.{{cite news |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/09/07/347069/alrosa-tu-154-overruns-after-emergency-landing-in-russia.html |title=Alrosa Tu-154 overruns after emergency landing in Russia |work=Flight International |date=7 September 2010 |accessdate=8 September 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100911023651/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/09/07/347069/alrosa-tu-154-overruns-after-emergency-landing-in-russia.html| archivedate= 11 September 2010 | url-status=dead}} The successful emergency landing was hailed as a miracle by Russian aviation experts. Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin met the crew and thanked them for their "heroic, decisive and professional actions" in the accident. He also paid tribute to their courage.

=Awards=

File:Crew of Alrosa Flight 514 (Izhma accident) 16 nov 2010 Kremlin.jpg (center) receiving the crew of Flight 514 at the Kremlin on 16 November 2010]]

The pilots of Flight 514, Captain Yevgeny Novoselov and First Officer Andrei Lamanov,{{cite web|url=http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/1101 |title=Executive order awarding state decorations to the crew of a Tu-154 plane for courage and heroism |publisher=The Kremlin |date=8 October 2010 |accessdate=9 October 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101013135543/http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/1101| archivedate= 13 October 2010 | url-status= live}} were made Heroes of the Russian Federation. The other seven crew members were awarded the Order of Courage.{{cite web |url=http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/10/08/24897948.html |title=Pilots who made crash landing in taiga decorated as Heroes of Russia |publisher=Voice of Russia |accessdate=8 October 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101011153637/http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/10/08/24897948.html |archivedate=11 October 2010 |url-status=dead }} The order awarding the decorations was signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The landing could only be successful because the airport superior, Sergey Sotnikov, even after the airport was closed to traffic in 2003, was keeping the landing strip free of trees and bushes. Sotnikov was later decorated by the President of Russia.{{cite news|url=http://www.komiinform.ru/news/74029/|script-title=ru:Начальник ижемской вертолетной площадки Сергей Сотников остался доволен общением с Путиным|last=Карпов|first=Алексей|date=23 December 2010|publisher=ИА Комиинформ|language=Russian|accessdate=19 August 2013}}

Investigation

Russian authorities launched an investigation into the accident. A preliminary report was expected to be published after 10 days. On 14 September 2010, the report indicated that the batteries had self-overheated, suffering a thermal runaway. This affected the entire electrical system, navigation system and radio system.

Return to service

The aircraft suffered considerable damage during the runway excursion, but after an assessment by aircraft manufacturer Tupolev, Alrosa decided that it could be repaired and returned to service. After having two of its three engines replaced, the Tu-154 was stripped of all unnecessary weight and loaded with the minimal necessary amount of fuel. Test pilots from the Russian State Scientific Research Institute of Civil Aviation (GosNII GA) were selected to fly the jet out of the airfield.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/pilots-to-attempt-flying-miracle-crash-plane-20100923-15no2.html |title=Pilots to attempt flying 'miracle' crash plane |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 September 2010 |accessdate=8 October 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100926104652/http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/pilots-to-attempt-flying-miracle-crash-plane-20100923-15no2.html| archivedate= 26 September 2010 | url-status=dead}}

File:Alrosa, RA-85684, Tupolev Tu-154M (41408271064).jpg

On 24 March 2011, six months after the incident, the jet successfully took off from Izhma to fly {{convert|160|km|-1}} to Ukhta Airport for refuelling and inspection, and then on to Samara Airport for further repairs. Despite the Tu-154 normally requiring around {{convert|2500|m|ft}} of runway to take-off, the RA-85684 managed to lift off after only {{convert|800|m|ft}}, well within Izhma's {{convert|1300|m|ft|adj=on}} runway.{{cite news |first=Thomas |last=Nilsen |url=http://barentsobserver.com/en/sections/society/exceptional-take |title=Exceptional take off |work=BarentsObserver |date=29 March 2011 |accessdate=2 August 2011 |archive-date=15 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515033748/http://barentsobserver.com/en/sections/society/exceptional-take |url-status=dead }}

Repair work was completed in June 2011, after which RA-85684, having been given the name Izhma, resumed regular service with Alrosa. It remained in service until September 2018, when its certificate of airworthiness expired and the airline considered its renewal uneconomical.{{cite web |title=Tu-154M c/n 90A851 |url=https://www.scramble.nl/database/soviet/details/181_694152 |publisher=Dutch Aviation Society |website=Soviet Transport Database|accessdate=7 February 2025}}

On 29 September 2018, Izhma was flown for the last time from Mirny Airport, Alrosa's base, to Novosibirsk Tolmachevo Airport in Siberia, to become part of the collection of the local aviation museum. Lamanov, the first officer on the accident flight, was at the controls as pilot in command, and was met on arrival on the ground by captain Novoselov.{{cite news |last1=Zharkov |first1=Andrey |title=Самолет Ту-154М "Ижма" установлен в музее аэропорта "Толмачёво" |url=https://www.aex.ru/docs/3/2018/10/2/2811/ |accessdate=18 August 2019 |work=Aviation Explorer |date=2 October 2018 |language=Russian }}

References

External links

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cETl4Ed3-Q Video showing the aircraft after the emergency landing]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_KOktzoKfU Video showing preparation and takeoff from Izhma Airport]

Category:2010 disasters in Russia

Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by electrical failure

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Russia in 2010

Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Tupolev Tu-154

Category:September 2010 in Russia