A jet in Russia pulled off a pretty impressive emergency landing today, though the circumstances surrounding this are quite strange, as reported by The Aviation Herald.
In this post:
Ural Airlines A320 has hydraulic failure, lands in field
This incident happened today (Tuesday, September 12, 2023), and involved Ural Airlines flight U61383, scheduled to operate a domestic flight from Sochi (AER) to Omsk (OMS). The 1,685-mile flight was operated by a 19-year-old Airbus A320 with the registration code RA-73805, and had 165 people onboard, including 159 passengers and six crew.
The flight was routine, until the aircraft attempted to land in Omsk, where the plane approached Runway 7, which is approximately 8,200 feet long. At an altitude of around 2,000 feet, the pilots initiated a go around, as the aircraft reportedly had a hydraulics failure (presumably they learned this shortly after they tried to lower the gear).
At this point the pilots made the decision to divert to Novosibirsk (OVB), around 370 miles from their current location. The reason they decided to divert is because with the hydraulics issues, they were worried they wouldn’t be able to stop in time on the runway at the airport, due to its length. However, Novosibirsk has a runway that’s 11,800 feet long, so they felt safer landing there.
The jet climbed up to 18,000 feet, and began its flight to Novosibirsk. The aircraft intentionally maintained a slow speed of just 300 miles per hour (ground speed) given the hydraulics issues, as the landing gear doors couldn’t be closed.
While enroute to Novosibirsk, the aircraft ended up burning more fuel than planned. That was due to a combination of strong headwinds, as well as added fuel burn from the slow speeds and the drag from the landing gear compartment being opened.
As a result, the decision was made to ditch the aircraft in a field, near the village of Kamenka, around 120 miles from Novosibirsk. The pilots looked for the safest field in which to ditch the plane, and pulled off quite the landing. All passengers and crew managed to evacuate safely, with no major injuries.
The West Siberian Investigative Committee has now opened an investigation into the incident.
This is a strange incident with impressive airmanship!
Russia’s aviation sector has been in a state of disarray, ever since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Due to sanctions in place, Russian airlines are no longer able to do business with many western companies. They can’t take delivery of Airbus and Boeing jets, and can’t even directly get the parts required for aircraft maintenance.
We’ve essentially seen Russian airlines “steal” many planes from western aircraft leasing companies, and these jets are partly flying around uninsured. Aeroflot is now sending some planes to Iran for maintenance, and Aeroflot has started flying planes without brakes. It’s only a matter of time before we see a major fatal crash.
That being said, as far as this incident goes:
- While we usually wait on investigators to tell us the cause of a crash, I wouldn’t exactly expect Russian authorities to be terribly transparent in their investigation
- A hydraulics failure could happen on any airline; it’s possible that it was just a coincidence that this happened on a Russian airline, or it could be that the hydraulics issue was due to not being able to get the proper parts for maintenance
- Upon performing a go around in Omsk, it’s interesting how the pilots immediately made the decision to divert to Novosibirsk, and I’m curious what data they were going off of with thinking they had enough fuel to make it, given that the hydraulics failure meant they’d be flying with their gear doors open
- No matter how you slice it, the pilots did an incredible job safely landing this plane in a field, avoiding all human injuries
Bottom line
A Ural Airlines Airbus A320 suffered a hydraulics failure while on approach to Omsk, Russia. The pilots made the decision to divert to Novosibirsk so that they’d have access to a longer runway, but they didn’t have enough fuel to make it. As a result, they ended up landing the jet in a field. While the aircraft is badly damaged, there were no injuries. I’m happy to see that everyone is okay.
What do you make of this Ural Airlines A320 emergency landing?
Ben, why did you write "steal" aircraft between quotes ?
There's no other name and several leasing companies have written off those planes.
No crash is something one wishes for but at least we'll know the cause very quickly.
RA 73805 was until last year A6-BMW (BMW... Freud am fahren ???), operated by... Ural Airlines since 2013 and leased from an UAA leasing company and then stolen (no quotes...) and re-registered RA. The...
Ben, why did you write "steal" aircraft between quotes ?
There's no other name and several leasing companies have written off those planes.
No crash is something one wishes for but at least we'll know the cause very quickly.
RA 73805 was until last year A6-BMW (BMW... Freud am fahren ???), operated by... Ural Airlines since 2013 and leased from an UAA leasing company and then stolen (no quotes...) and re-registered RA. The pilot obviously was good but this is almost certainly a direct consequence of the theft and of the sanctions.
Worth mentioning Ural Airlines Flight 178 - an A321 a few years back suffering an engine failure on takeoff and performing an identical landing in a field, just as smooth and successful. This is starting to look like a bit of a habit for Ural Airlines pilots.
Shame nothing happened. But one can keep on dreaming - less fascists means less dead children in Ukraine.
You Westerners can clutch your pearls all you want - we warned you about ruSSians. You didn't listen - time and time again. You also have Ukrainian blood on your hands.
Look everyone, a UkroNazi who wishes death on innocent civilians solely based on their nationality.
Go away Ruzzian!
His name may explain his feelings... The Poles have a common border with Ukraine, are members of NATO, are working wonders for the Ukrainian people, and have suffered Russian incursions these past few months. probably by mistake... until the day when it won't be.
There are today far more Jewish Ukrainians than the few Nazi Ukrainians (there are some everywhere), which would not be the case if the Ukrainian people were Nazis... There would be no Jew left.
you're not Polish bro, chill. Get some help, please. And jeez, there are people liking his comment too. The world has gone mad.
Tak się składa, że akurat jestem.
And yeah, sensible people want this brutal invasion to end - that’s why they like my comment. The less ruSSians there are, the more likely this senseless attack on Ukraine is to end.
Also, there are no innocent civilians in ruSSia - according to the polls over 80% of them support this cold-blooded flood of barbarians into Ukraine.
@polishguest, I've been to your country to help your government protect itself from the Russians, so I'm clear that I'm supportive of your government and the Polish people.
However, hate the Russian government, not the Russian people. In fact if you believe Russian propaganda that 80% of the public supports the invasion, you're far too gullible to be Polish. Russia is not a free country. There is no free press and there are no...
@polishguest, I've been to your country to help your government protect itself from the Russians, so I'm clear that I'm supportive of your government and the Polish people.
However, hate the Russian government, not the Russian people. In fact if you believe Russian propaganda that 80% of the public supports the invasion, you're far too gullible to be Polish. Russia is not a free country. There is no free press and there are no polls that disagree with the government.
"Also, there are no innocent civilians in ruSSia - according to the polls over 80% of them support this cold-blooded flood of barbarians into Ukraine."
Do you really trust something coming from Russia as a anti-Russian guy?
"You also have Ukrainian blood on your hands."
What substance are YOU smoking?
"Ukraine" likely wouldn't still exist at this moment, were it not for all the money/weapons "The West" has been pumping into it, with no seeming end in sight.
An objective investigation of this incident (if such a thing is actually performed in this case) will likely point out some lapses in judgment that led to this crash landing in a field. Yes, the flight crew did a wonderful job in landing this aircraft in a field. But perhaps not such a wonderful job in that such drastic measures ended up being required. Was a farmer's field really better than the 8200' runway in...
An objective investigation of this incident (if such a thing is actually performed in this case) will likely point out some lapses in judgment that led to this crash landing in a field. Yes, the flight crew did a wonderful job in landing this aircraft in a field. But perhaps not such a wonderful job in that such drastic measures ended up being required. Was a farmer's field really better than the 8200' runway in Omsk? I doubt it.
We'll see how this comes out. To me, I'm reminded of the Varig 737 that crash landed in the jungle; the captain was lauded as a hero until the investigators took a closer look at why he flew in the exact wrong direction and never realized it. Directions aren't the problem here, but judgment will have to be looked at.
""It’s only a matter of time before we see a major fatal crash.""
WOW, you are a horrible person. Really that is what you wish? It's important to remember that our words have power, and the energy we put out into the world can come back to us in unexpected ways. Are you not scared that the universe will bring this to you after these words?
Where in that statement, which you quoted verbatim, does he say he "wishes" for that? You are the one who put that insinuation into the universe. All he is saying is that it's very likely due to the lack of maintenance that is occuring, and he's not wrong.
Take a breather and go outside. It's in nice NYC today.
Probably less nice in Mukhosransk or Vyzhnokhuynie where this guys is typing from…
Probably even less nice in Lvov or Gdansk or wherever shithole village you're typing from...
YOU are the horrible person. I don't even have to explain why, anyone reading the article and your comment, and who has the tiniest bit of common sense already knows.
Nowhere in this article (or these comments) are there any statements implying that someone "wishes" for a crash. The quote above merely states an opinion based on current trends. Stop trying to manipulate the words of other to fit your agenda (whatever it is).
I do. Absolutely.
Russia is a nation of liars, cheats, mafia thugs, and ignorant fascist goons. Every time a Russian dies, the world is a little better. Yeah. And in this case, stupid pilots: an 8200' runway isn't long enough for an a320 to come to a stop if it lands gear-up or if its gear collapses? (Hint: yes it is.) So these morons divert AND RUN OUT OF FUEL, end up having to put...
I do. Absolutely.
Russia is a nation of liars, cheats, mafia thugs, and ignorant fascist goons. Every time a Russian dies, the world is a little better. Yeah. And in this case, stupid pilots: an 8200' runway isn't long enough for an a320 to come to a stop if it lands gear-up or if its gear collapses? (Hint: yes it is.) So these morons divert AND RUN OUT OF FUEL, end up having to put it down in some field? Idiots. Probably drunk.
And the top of that wing is black because everything in Russia is filthy. That's just how they live (no flush toilets once you get outside the major cities).
^ You seem stable.
@ Bobo Bolinski:
Actually, any plane with wheels up (or down but collapsing) will need far LESS runway to come to a stop, with no need for thrust reversers (they actually won't operate unless wheels are down and locked, and you prefer anyway to shut down the engines quickly). The runway length here is irrelevant.
What you fear the most in this case is a fire, and landing in a field will be far...
@ Bobo Bolinski:
Actually, any plane with wheels up (or down but collapsing) will need far LESS runway to come to a stop, with no need for thrust reversers (they actually won't operate unless wheels are down and locked, and you prefer anyway to shut down the engines quickly). The runway length here is irrelevant.
What you fear the most in this case is a fire, and landing in a field will be far more dangerous than on a runway where emergency services are presumably available.
That plane, presumably, simply ran out of gas: 370 miles is at least a 45 minutes flight, but we don't know how many times they circled above Omsk nor what reserves Russian airlines operate on. In other words, not such an outstanding work by the pilots.
Ben is absolutely right... It is not a wish but a proven fact. There are presently around 440 planes STOLEN by Putin, which obviously are not maintained well.
THIS accident is a direct effect of the sanctions and THIS plane indeed was stolen in 2022 (see above).
In the main post photo it looks like a small area near the wing-root is black from fire? And also I'm curious why the top of the wing looks filthy dirty, especially the flaps and air brakes.
100% not an expert here so honestly curious what people think about these in the photo.
It is black because of dirt, coming out of engine thrust reverser
It's the normal state of most planes flying in Russia for more than a year or 2.
I worked there.
You obviously didn't. Are you sure you weren't in IAH working for united??? lol
To your third point, I believe Novosibirsk is the main diversion point for all flights over west/central Siberia. It's the biggest city and the most well-equipped, and as you noted, has the longest runway. I've been on two flights that diverted and both landed there (both were medical reasons).
Looking at the pictures, the gear is down. Though maybe not confirmed locked by the gear indicators. Looking at flight track on Flightradar24, it does not seem they did a tower fly by, to confirm the gear down or not. So while good airmanship in getting the plane down without any injuries, there does seem to be some questionable decision making.
According to what's written here, their concern wasn't whether gear was down, but to what extent they'd have brakes even if it was.
Well let's see in the snip below. "TRIED to lower the landing gear" would not indicate it was lowered. "Landing gear doors couldn't be closed" would not indicate that the gear could not be retracted, as that would be a far greater drag on the aircraft.
the aircraft reportedly had a hydraulics failure (presumably they learned this shortly after they tried to lower the gear).
At this point the pilots made the decision to...
Well let's see in the snip below. "TRIED to lower the landing gear" would not indicate it was lowered. "Landing gear doors couldn't be closed" would not indicate that the gear could not be retracted, as that would be a far greater drag on the aircraft.
the aircraft reportedly had a hydraulics failure (presumably they learned this shortly after they tried to lower the gear).
At this point the pilots made the decision to divert to Novosibirsk (OVB), around 370 miles from their current location. The reason they decided to divert is because with the hydraulics issues, they were worried they wouldn’t be able to stop in time on the runway at the airport, due to its length. However, Novosibirsk has a runway that’s 11,800 feet long, so they felt safer landing there.
The jet climbed up to 18,000 feet, and began its flight to Novosibirsk. The aircraft intentionally maintained a slow speed of just 300 miles per hour (ground speed) given the hydraulics issues, as the landing gear doors couldn’t be closed.
Good luck getting that plane back in service with sanctions in place.
sanctions ruin you, oblivious westerner.