A Russian passenger jet, flying without passengers, crashed on Friday, resulting in the deaths of its 3 crew members, according to officials. The incident involved a Sukhoi Superjet 100, that crashed in the Moscow region, as reported by Russian emergency services.
News agency AP cited the report of officials stating that the aircraft was operated by Gazprom Avia, a subsidiary of the state-controlled natural gas company Gazprom. It had taken off from an aircraft manufacturing plant in Lukhovitsy, approximately 110 kilometers southeast of Moscow, where it had recently undergone repairs. The jet was on its way to Vnukovo Airport in Moscow when the crash occurred.
According to AP, the Investigative Committee, a primary criminal investigation agency of Russia, has initiated an inquiry into the crash. The Superjet 100, also known as SSJ100, was introduced in 2011 and praised as a significant milestone for the civil aviation sector of Russia. However, it has experienced several safety issues.
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A Sukhoi Superjet 100 collided with a dormant volcano during a demonstration flight in Indonesia, killing all 45 people on board in May 2012. The investigation discovered that the crew had disregarded terrain warning system alerts while flying through dense clouds.
Superjet At Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport
Another incident of a Superjet crash was reported in May 2019 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, killing 41. The plane was struck by lightning, and as a result, it had to make an emergency landing. The investigation concluded that the pilot's heavy landing with excess fuel at high speed caused a rough touchdown that ignited a fire.