On the 8th of January, a Pobeda Airlines Boeing 737 skidded off the runway and got stuck in a snowdrift while it was accelerating for takeoff at Perm Airport in Russia.
The Boeing 737-800 with registration RA-73294 was scheduled to operate flight DP6512 from Perm’s Bolshoye Savino Airport to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. However, while it was accelerating for takeoff, the aircraft rolled off of the runway onto the adjoining part of the airfield before getting stuck in a snowdrift.
Flight DP6512 skidded off the runway at the beginning of the takeoff run and had reached a speed of about 30 knots before the incident occurred.
Following the incident, all passengers and crew members disembarked the aircraft via airport stairs. A safe evacuation was executed and none of the six crew members or 183 passengers, including 7 children and one disabled person were injured.
The airport was temporarily closed until the runway was cleared. As a result, multiple flights were delayed. Perm International Airport resumed normal operations only after the Boeing 737 was towed to the parking stand.
A Pobeda Airlines spokesperson confirmed the incident and stated that it would organise another flight for the affected passengers. The spokesperson further stated that the airline will decide whether to operate the flight on the same aircraft or not after a thorough technical inspection of the aircraft.
The Russian media described this incident as “the most unexpected reason” for a flight delay.
Feature Image via NevskieNovosti