Aviogenex Flight 130
An Aviogenex Tu-134, similar to that involved in the accident. | |
Accident summary | |
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Date | 23 May 1971 |
Summary | Pilot error |
Passengers | 76 |
Crew | 7 |
Fatalities | 78 |
Survivors | 5 |
Aircraft type | Tupolev Tu-134A |
Operator | Aviogenex |
Registration | YU-AHZ |
Flight origin | Gatwick Airport, London |
Destination | Rijeka Airport, Rijeka |
Aviogenex Flight 130 was an international charter passenger flight from Gatwick Airport, London, to Rijeka Airport in Croatia (then Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). On 23 May 1971 Tupolev Tu-134A, the aircraft servicing the flight, crashed while landing at Rijeka Airport, killing 78 people on board. The crash became the first accident of Tupolev Tu-134 since entering regular service.[1]
The aircraft had a serial number 1351205 and a total of 111 airframe hours at the time of the crash.[2] Flight 130 transported British tourists who were traveling on holiday.[3]
Crash
The aircraft took off from Gatwick at 16:33 GMT. The flight proceeded normally until approach to Rijeka Airport. The crew followed the ILS with a slightly increased speed.[3] Four kilometers from the runway threshold, at an altitude of about 300 metres (980 ft) above the sea level, the aircraft entered into torrential rain.[3] The crew instantly activated the windscreen wipers.[3] Fifty seconds before the touchdown the aircraft was lifted upwards and rolled to the right.[3] Due to challenging conditions the crew could not return to ILS approach, but managed to align the aircraft with the runway.[3] However, the aircraft was above the glide path while the crew was trying to reduce speed by elevator and reducing thrust.[3] At a distance of 800 m from the runway the power was reduced to idle and the elevator was put down.[3] The aircraft then entered into a gradually steeping angle of descent.[3] Due to an optical illusion the crew thought they were closer to the runway and at a greater altitude than the actual one.[3] The aircraft landed at a speed of 140 knots (260 km/h) and then the right wing broke. The aircraft turned over, with an ensued fire in which the passengers and the aircraft itself burned out.[3]
All four crew members in the cockpit survived, but of the 76 passengers there was only one survivor, Ranko Sarajcic.[4][5]
Investigation
The accident was investigated by the British Air Accidents Investigation Branch. After 2 years and 6 months a report was released on 1 December 1973.
References
- ↑ "Катастрофа Ту-134А YU-AHZ Aviogenex 23.05.1971" (in Russian). ruWings. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 "Aviogenex Aircraft TU-134 A, YU-AHZ. Report on the Catastrophy which occurred at 'RIJEKA' Airport, Yugoslavia, on 23 May 1971". Air Accidents Investigation Branch. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ↑ "72 Die In Yugoslav Air Crash". Daily News. 24 May 1971. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ↑ http://zg-magazin.com.hr/odlazak-prema-nepoznatoj-zvijezdi/
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