Overview

On 5 May 2019, Aeroflot operated a scheduled passenger flight from Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow to Murmansk Airport. The aircraft, a Sukhoi Superjet 100, departed but returned to the airport shortly after takeoff. During the emergency landing the airliner veered off the runway and was engulfed in fire. Of the 78 people aboard (including five crew members) 41 lost their lives. The operator of the service was Aeroflot.

Aircraft and flight details

The aircraft involved was a Sukhoi Superjet 100, a regional jet developed by the Russian company Sukhoi. The Superjet had been introduced into commercial service in the 2010s and was operated by several airlines. The flight from Sheremetyevo was a routine domestic schedule; weather conditions around the time of departure were reported as variable and were part of subsequent safety analyses.

Sequence of events

Accounts from responders and initial reports indicate the aircraft experienced a problem soon after climb. Crew elected to return to the departure airport and declared an emergency. On touchdown the aircraft suffered a hard landing, left the paved surface and caught fire. Emergency services responded, and passengers were evacuated, though the evacuation and rescue timeline later became a focus for investigators and commentators.

Casualties and evacuation

The accident resulted in a high number of fatalities relative to people on board. Survivors described a chaotic evacuation; officials and independent observers examined how quickly and effectively slides, exits and cabin crew procedures were used. Questions about smoke, fire spread, and boarding density influenced public discussion about survivability in post-crash fires.

Investigation and findings

Russian and international aviation authorities opened formal investigations soon after the accident. Investigators studied flight data, cockpit voice recordings, maintenance history and the aircraft's electrical and fuel systems. Official reports cited a combination of an in-flight strike and subsequent failures as contributory factors, and they analyzed crew actions, evacuation procedures and emergency response. The accident prompted reviews of Superjet operations, crew training and aircraft systems.

Significance and aftermath

Flight 1492 remains a reference case in discussions of evacuation under fire, aircraft certification in extreme events, and the operational record of relatively new regional types. The crash led to technical and procedural recommendations intended to reduce the risk of similar events. Aviation regulators, airlines and manufacturers use findings from the investigation to refine training, equipment standards and emergency planning.

Further reading