ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev Tu-154B RA-85164 Grossevichi
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Thursday 7 December 1995
Time:03:08
Type:Silhouette image of generic T154 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Tupolev Tu-154B
Operator:Khabarovsk United Air
Registration: RA-85164
MSN: 76A164
First flight: 1976
Total airframe hrs:30001
Cycles:13801
Engines: 3 Kuznetsov NK-8-2U
Crew:Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
Passengers:Fatalities: 90 / Occupants: 90
Total:Fatalities: 98 / Occupants: 98
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:50 km (31.3 mls) W of Grossevichi (   Russia)
Crash site elevation: 820 m (2690 feet) amsl
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport (UUS/UHSS), Russia
Destination airport:Khabarovsk-Novy Airport (KHV/UHHH), Russia
Flightnumber:3949
Narrative:
The Tupolev Tu-154B entered a steep spiral dive while en route to Khabarovsk and impacted Mount Bo-Jaus, Russia, killing all 98 on board.
The aircraft operated on Khabarovsk United Air flight 3949. It took off from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport at 02:43 hours local time and climbed to the cruising altitude of 10600 meters. Shortly after 03:00 hours the aircraft suddenly banked right and entered a steep spiral dive. The flight crew was not able to regain control and the aircraft impacted terrain.
The wreckage was found 11 days later.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: Fuel-feed selected from wing tanks on the left side only. This was done to counteract the tendency to fly left-wing low. The fuel imbalance caused the aircraft to bank to the right during the flight. The autopilot was able to counteract this bank until 35 minutes after take-off.

Classification:
Loss of control

Sources:
» Flight International 14-30 April 1996 (12)
» Flight International 7-13 February 1996 (8)
» Flight International 20 December 95-2 January 1996 (7)
» ICAO Adrep Summary 4/96 (#39)


Photos

photo of Tupolev-Tu-154B-CCCP-85164
accident date: 07-12-1995
type: Tupolev Tu-154B
registration: CCCP-85164
 

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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport to Khabarovsk-Novy Airport as the crow flies is 588 km (367 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the 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

  • 1026 built
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  • 23rd fatal accident
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 Russia
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