Narrative:
Pulkovo flight 612 departed Anapa (AAQ) for St. Petersburg (LED) at 15:05. The Tu-154M climbed to the cruise altitude of 35,100 feet (10.700 m). Because of storm cells ahead, the pilot decided to change course laterally by 20 km and attempted to climb over the storm cells. However, the thunderstorm front was unusually high, extending up to 15 km (49,000 feet). The Tu-154 entered an area of severe turbulence, pushing up the airplane from 11.961 m to 12.794 m within just 10 seconds. The angle of attack increased to 46 degrees and the airspeed dropped to zero. It entered a deep stall from which the crew could not recover. The plane crashed and burned in a field.
The cause of the crash was the loss of control in the manual flight mode with supercritical angles of attack, causing a stall with the subsequent transition to a flat spin and collision with the ground with a large vertical velocity. Factors were considered poor crew coordination, and failure to follow the instructions in the Aeroplane Flight Manual to prevent a stall. Also, the crew training methods used were insufficient to demonstrate the dangers of manual flight at high altitudes.
Loss of control
» RIA Novosti
» MAK Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC)
accident date: 22-08-2006
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: RA-85185
accident date: 22-08-2006
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: RA-85185
accident date: 22-08-2006
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: RA-85185
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 22 August 2006 |
| Time: | 15:39 |
| Type: |  Tupolev Tu-154M |
| Operator: | Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise |
| Registration: | RA-85185 |
| MSN: | 91A894 |
| First flight: | 1991 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 24215 |
| Engines: | 3 Soloviev D-30KU-154-II |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 160 / Occupants: 160 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 170 / Occupants: 170 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 45 km (28.1 mls) NW of Donetsk ( Ukraine)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Anapa Airport (AAQ/URKA), Russia |
| Saint Petersburg-Pulkovo Airport (LED/ULLI), Russia | |
| Flightnumber: | FV612 |
Pulkovo flight 612 departed Anapa (AAQ) for St. Petersburg (LED) at 15:05. The Tu-154M climbed to the cruise altitude of 35,100 feet (10.700 m). Because of storm cells ahead, the pilot decided to change course laterally by 20 km and attempted to climb over the storm cells. However, the thunderstorm front was unusually high, extending up to 15 km (49,000 feet). The Tu-154 entered an area of severe turbulence, pushing up the airplane from 11.961 m to 12.794 m within just 10 seconds. The angle of attack increased to 46 degrees and the airspeed dropped to zero. It entered a deep stall from which the crew could not recover. The plane crashed and burned in a field.
Probable Cause:
The cause of the crash was the loss of control in the manual flight mode with supercritical angles of attack, causing a stall with the subsequent transition to a flat spin and collision with the ground with a large vertical velocity. Factors were considered poor crew coordination, and failure to follow the instructions in the Aeroplane Flight Manual to prevent a stall. Also, the crew training methods used were insufficient to demonstrate the dangers of manual flight at high altitudes.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
ThunderstormLoss of control
Sources:
» 'Climb over storm' doomed Tu-154 (Flight 05/09/06)» RIA Novosti
» MAK Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC)
Photos
accident date: 22-08-2006
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: RA-85185
accident date: 22-08-2006
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: RA-85185
accident date: 22-08-2006
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: RA-85185
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Anapa Airport to Saint Petersburg-Pulkovo Airport as the crow flies is 1700 km (1062 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
Distance from Anapa Airport to Saint Petersburg-Pulkovo Airport as the crow flies is 1700 km (1062 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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