ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev Tu-154 CCCP-85023 Praha-Ruzyne International Airport (PRG)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 19 February 1973
Time:09:06 UTC
Type:Silhouette image of generic T154 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Tupolev Tu-154
Operator:Aeroflot, International Civil Aviation Directorate
Registration: CCCP-85023
MSN: 72A023
First flight: 1972
Total airframe hrs:459
Cycles:261
Crew:Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 13
Passengers:Fatalities: 62 / Occupants: 87
Total:Fatalities: 66 / Occupants: 100
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:0,5 km (0.3 mls) NE of Praha-Ruzyne International Airport (PRG) (   Czech Republic)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO/UUEE), Russia
Destination airport:Praha-Ruzyne International Airport (PRG/LKPR), Czech Republic
Flightnumber: 141
Narrative:
While on an ILS approach to runway 25, the aircraft suddenly descended below the glide slope and struck the ground nose wheel-first, 467 m short of the runway. It broke up and burst into flames.

While investigators officially concluded that the cause of the crash was undetermined, it has been argued based on a draft of the final report, that the copilot may have inadvertently trimmed the horizontal stabilizer to 0° on final approach.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Owing to the high degree of destruction and total disintegration of the aircraft in the crash and ensuing fire it was not possible to establish the precise cause of the accident. The influence of unexpected atmospheric turbulence during the aircraft's final approach cannot be entirely ruled out."

Classification:
Loss of control

Sources:
» www.idnes.cz
» planes.cz
» ICAO Circular 132-AN/93 (50-62)
» L+K magazine (May 2013)


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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 Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport to Praha-Ruzyne International Airport as the crow flies is 1658 km (1036 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.

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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Tupolev Tu-154

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