A total of 41 people, including at least two children and one crew member, died on Sunday after Aeroflot airplane SSJ100 burst into flames during an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
Footage from the incident shows how the Sukhoi Superjet 100 airplane explodes in flames and slid to a stop on the grass between runway 24L and two taxiways, where passengers left through emergency exits.
According to the investigators, none of the landing gears of the plane opened during landing and hit the fuel tank.
The aircraft was performing flight SU1492 from Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport to Murmansk, but shortly after takeoff as hit by lighting and was forced to return to Moskow, were attempted to land. A total of 78 people were on board the airplane during the accident. Totally 37 people survived, while 41 were reported dead.
An investigation into the incident has begun and the company has triggered a crisis headquarters.
Russian investigation committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said clear results on the causes and circumstances surrounding the incident would be presented after a thorough data-based investigation.
Sukhoi Superjet 100 or SSJ100 is a regional jet designed by Sukhoi, a division of the United Aircraft Corporation. Its development started in 2000, it made its maiden flight on 19 May 2008 and its first commercial flight on 21 April 2011 with Armavia. The 46–49 t (101,000–108,000 lb) MTOW plane typically seats 87 to 98 passengers and is powered by two 77 to 79 kN (17,000 to 18,000 lbf) PowerJet SaM146 turbofans developed by a joint venture between French Safran and Russian NPO Saturn.
Video from the accident:
