A Utair Boeing 737-500 was involved in an accident on the 9th of February, which saw the aircraft land and have its gear collapse, leaving the aircraft disabled off the runway.
The aircraft, registered VQ-BPS, was performing flight UT535 from Moscow Vnukovo to Usinsk with 94 passengers and six crew members on board, it was on final approach to Usinsk’s 13 at about 12:21 local time.
Performing a hard landing, 15 metres before the paved surface, the aircraft ploughed through thick snow, resulting in the main landing gear collapsing and the nose gear and belly taking the force of the deceleration.
The forces of the landing damaged the wings which consequently started a fuel leak, however no fire ignited.
A video of the landing presents the impact and details the minor damage in the cabin, which consists of detached overhead panels.
Passenger video captures hard landing accident of UTair flight UT595 at Usinsk Airport, Russia. https://t.co/VU7kEYuRNM pic.twitter.com/hjh4tVRSYF
— Breaking Aviation News (@breakingavnews) February 9, 2020
Passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft via escape slides and exits. Only one passenger required medical attention, likely being from the evacuation.
A #Boeing737 airliner with 96 people onboard made a #hardlanding in northwestern #Russia on Sunday. Nobody was injured when the #UTair #aircraft, en route from #Moscow, landed at the #airport of #Usinsk, a town in the #KomiRepublic some 1,500 kilometres from Moscow. pic.twitter.com/1ovfbtkSyL
— ANews (@anewscomtr) February 10, 2020
⚡🛬В городе Усинск республики Коми «Боинг» авиакомпании Utair сел на «брюхо»
— АлексАНдр С. Но (@ANo1505) February 10, 2020
На борту 94 пассажира и шесть членов экипажа. Все живы, несколько пострадавших. По предварительной информации, у самолета возникли проблемы с шасси. pic.twitter.com/DaX4nncWC2
Utair says the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport was not working, however the aircraft was able to land with the help of air traffic control.
The Aviation Herald confirms this by listing the NOTAMs:
(TS6225 / 19 NOTAMR TS3631 / 19
SH) UUYY / SHLAAS / IZH / NBO / A / 000/999 / 6600Ñ05722Â003
A) UUYS B) 1912130810 C) 2005151500 RAS4
E) Runway 13: LIGHTS OF APPROXIMATION DO NOT WORK.)
(TS0127 / 20 NOTAMR TS6431 / 19
SH) UUYY / SHCHIGAS / I / NBO / A / 000/999 / 6600Ñ05722Â015
A) UUYS B) 2001140610 C) 2002141500 RAS4
E) RUN 13: ILS TIME DOES NOT WORK ).
Although METAR data is unavailable for Usinsk airport local weather data says that winds were blowing from 150 degrees at 11 knots, with gusts reaching 20 knots. The temperature was recorded at -21 degrees Celsius, visibility was 1,100 metres, QNH was 1063 hPa and Runway Visual Range (RVR) was 1,700, 1,100 and 1,400 metres.
In a statement to media, Utair says that a “sharp, unpredictable windshear” occurred during the landing; which lead to the collapse of the main landing gear during rollout. Additionally, the airline says the flight crew is highly experienced, with the captain having logged 6,900 hours and the first officer 3,600 on the Boeing 737.
The airline has since deployed specialists to the accident location to analyse flight data and determine the cause of the accident. Flight Global reports that Russia’s Federal Investigative Committee has opened a routine criminal probe to establish the circumstances of the incident.
Probably the sad end to a career that started as Continental N16648
with a Dec 1997 delivery date. Sounds like the gear was sheered due to early touchdown.