July 04, 2001
Near Irkutsk, Russia
Vladivostokavia Airlines, Flight 352
Tupolev TU-154M
RA-85845
The plane crashed and exploded in flames in Siberian woodlands near the village of
Burdakovka, about 21 miles from Irkutsk. The aircraft crashed during the third turn in
a landing approach to Irkutsk, an intermediate stop for refueling. The first officer was
flying the plane, when at 2,600 ft., an audible alarm sounded indicating a wide angle of
attack. Eleven seconds later the aircraft swung around 180 degrees and entered a flat
spin.
The captain ordered the engines at full throttle but it was too late and 22 seconds
later the plane hit the ground, belly first, broke up and burned. Incorrect actions of the
crew. Due to poor communication between pilots, they put in the wrong parameters
while landing causing the plane to descend at the wrong angle. As a result, the plane
stalled and entered a spin and crashed. All 145 aboard killed.
ATC = Irkutsk Approach
ATIS = Automatic Terminal Information System
CAP = Captain
F/E = Flight Engineer
F/O = First Officer [pilot flying]
NAV = Navigator
?? = Unknown
() = editorial insertion Aviation Safety Network
# = expletive deleted
| 01:58:07 | NAV | 845, 5700 (meters QNE) |
| 01:58:10 | ATC | 845 Razdolye confirmed (passing of waypoint), 5700 (meters) |
| 01:58:21 | NAV | 125.2 |
| 01:58:21 | CAP | Okay |
| 01:58:22 | RDO-1 | Irkutsk approach 85845, g’evening Razdolye at 5700, infor |
| 01:58:32 | ATC | 85545, Irkutsk approach, g’evening, final 282 degrees, dist |
| 01:58:43 | RDO-1 | 845, to downwind descending 2700 meters |
| 01:59:25 | CAP | Sounds good |
| 01:59:35 | CAP | …it will take us 550 meters |
| 01:59:45 | ?? | … |
| 01:59:46 | CAP | to downwind |
| 01:59:48 | ?? | … |
| 02:01:04 | CAP | it seems we have to put it up |
| 02:01:42 | CAP | Yura (name of F/E), switch on VNA heating |
| 02:01:43 | F/E | Switched on |
| 02:01:55 | ATC | 845, distance 40 (km), descend and maintain 2100 (meters) |
| 02:01:58 | F/O | 2100 (meters) |
| 02:01:59 | RDO-1 | 845 descending 2100 (meters) |
| 02:02:29 | ?? | … |
| 02:02:59 | CAP | at home while descending on straight-in approach, we’re pas |
| 02:04:09 | ATC | 845, Latest Yankee (ATIS), confirm you’ve got Yankee |
| 02:04:13 | RDO-1 | Roger, listening now |
| 02:04:17 | ?? | Is it for me? Is it? |
| 02:04:21 | ATIS | … millimeters, QFE 947, no significant changes, confirm you |
| 02:04:43 | CAP | Kolya (name of NA), you listen, let me work with them (ATC) |
| 02:04:45 | NAV | Roger, I’m listening |
| 02:04:49 | RDO-1 | 845, 2100 (m) |
| 02:04:52 | ATC | 845, what type of approach? |
| 02:04:55 | RDO-1 | NDB approach, information Yankee, altimeter 7-10 (mmHg) |
| 02:05:02 | ATC | 845, you’re cleared for NDB approach, descend 900 (m) for b |
| 02:05:08 | RDO-1 | 845, Descending 900 (m) for base turn, altimeter 7-10 |
| 02:05:14 | ATC | 845, You’re downwind now, 11 km off final |
| 02:05:18 | RDO-1 | Roger, we have in sight, that’s copied |
| 02:05:28 | F/O | Yura (Name of F/E), clear. It could be off now! Then we’ll |
| 02:05:29 | CAP | Yeap, it is working |
| 02:05:32 | NAV | I’m expecting 20 km |
| 02:05:34 | CAP | Okay |
| 02:05:36 | NAV | Altimeter now 7-10 of mine |
| 02:05:43 | CAP | Completely tip off now (it looks like referring to spoilers |
| 02:05:44 | ?? | decelerate, decelerate |
| 02:05:47 | CAP | Lets set altimeter 7-10 (mmHg) |
| 02:05:48 | F/O | 7-10 |
| 02:05:49 | ?? | 7-10 |
| 02:05:55 | RDO-1 | 845, at 1800 (m), altimeter set 7-10, will report through |
| 02:06:01 | ATC | Roger |
| 02:06:03 | NAV | 150 (m) to assigned (altitude) |
| 02:06:04 | F/O | Yes |
| 02:06:05 | CAP | Decelerate, reduce speed |
| 02:06:05 | F/O | reducing, reducing |
| 02:06:06 | NAV | Watch out mechanization (again not clear, to what mechaniza |
| 02:06:08 | CAP | We’ve got 100 meters to assigned (altitude) |
| 02:06:09 | F/O | That’s affirmative, 100 meters |
| 02:06:10 | NAV | … kilometers |
| 02:06:13 | CAP | You’ve set 8 (8 m/s descend rate), that’s why you’ve got su |
| 02:06:17 | CAP | Here we go Yura (name of F/E), now in clouds |
| 02:06:20 | CAP | Look there, what temperature is |
| 02:06:21 | NAV | they gave 290 degrees at 5, 14 degrees, 710 CAVOK |
| 02:06:25 | CAP | All right |
| 02:06:26 | CAP | Okay, now turn it on and… |
| 02:06:28 | F/O | Is it engaged? Is light on? |
| 02:06:30 | NAV | … is on (working) |
| 02:06:32 | CAP | How much remaining? (km) |
| 02:06:34 | NAV | 8 kilometers |
| 02:06:34 | F/O | 8 (km) |
| 02:06:35 | CAP | Copied |
| 02:06:56 | CAP | Okay, take it there, I’ve switched hold altitude |
| 02:06:58 | F/O | Okay |
| 02:07:02 | F/O | 400 kilometers (km/hour) |
| 02:07:03 | CAP | Rudder good, gears down |
| 02:07:06 | F/O | Putting down |
| 02:07:08 | F/E | they’re going (gears going down) |
| 02:07:10 | F/O | Gears … |
| 02:07:12 | ATC | 845, turn to base, descent 850 meters for final |
| 02:07:17 | RDO-1 | 845, descending 850 (m) for final |
| 02:07:21 | F/E | Gears down |
| 02:07:23 | CAP | Okay, speed is decreasing too much |
| 02:07:25 | CAP | descend |
| 02:07:27 | CAP | 850 (m), power 70 (N1=70%) |
| 02:07:29 | F/E | 70 |
| 02:07:30 | CAP | 350 (km/h), speed in range |
| 02:07:32 | CAP | power 7-5 (N1=75%) |
| 02:07:33 | F/E | 7-5 |
| 02:07:37 | NAV | approaching 850 (N1meters) |
| 02:07:39 | CAP | power 80 |
| 02:07:40 | F/E | 80 |
| 02:07:42 | CAP | 8-2 (power thrust N1=82%) |
| 02:07:43 | ?? | 8-2 |
| 02:07:44 | NAV | 850 (meters) |
| 02:07:45 | CAP | 850 (meters) |
| 02:07:45 | -- | Audio tone of AOA (angle of attack) alert and maximum accele |
| 02:07:47 | -- | Audio tone of autopilot disconnection warning (duration 2.3 |
| 02:07:49 | CAP | Fuck! What are you doing! |
| 02:07:51 | CAP | Speed! |
| 02:07:52 | ?? | … |
| 02:07:53 | CAP | … Fuck, push it up! (throttles) |
| 02:07:53 | F/O | Stop! Stop! Where! Where! |
| 02:07:55 | CAP | Stop! Stop! Stop! (said in patter) |
| 02:07:55 | NAV | This way, this way, this way. |
| 02:07:57 | CAP | We’re recovering! |
| 02:07:58 | NAV | Easy, make it easy, easy! |
| 02:07:59 | F/O | Lets to the right! |
| 02:08:01 | -- | Audio tone of Radio-altitude alert (duration 4 sec) and audi |
| 02:08:02 | ?? | Power! Add thrust! |
| 02:08:05 | ?? | Power! |
| 02:08:06 | F/E | … got it! |
| 02:08:08 | ?? | Add thrust! |
| 02:08:09 | F/O | Take off power! Oh my God! |
| 02:08:10 | F/E | Take off power set |
| 02:08:11 | ?? | That’s all guys! Fuck! |
| 02:08:16 | -- | Audio tone of radio altimeter alert (remaining to the end of rcording |
| 02:08:32 | -- |