Date:	Thursday 7 December 1995
Time:	03:08
Type:	Tupolev Tu-154B
Owner/operator:	Khabarovsk United Air
Registration:	RA-85164
MSN:	76A164
Year of manufacture:	1976
Total airframe hrs:	30001 hours
Cycles:	13801 flights
Engine model:	Kuznetsov NK-8-2U
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 98 / Occupants: 98
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	50 km W of Grossevichi -   Russia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport (UUS/UHSS)
Destination airport:	Khabarovsk-Novy Airport (KHV/UHHH)
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

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: 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.

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)

photo (c) Werner Fischdick; Düsseldorf Airport (DUS); 16 April 1977

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