Rus Flight 9633
| Company type | Airline |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Headquarters | Moscow , Russia |
Area served | Moscow, Norilsk, Bratsk, Taiyuan |
| Products | Freight air transport |
Template:Infobox aircraft occurrence Rus Flight 9633 was a freight service operated by an IL-76TD aircraft belonging to Rus Airlines, flying from Chkalovsky Airport in Moscow to Taiyuan Wusu Airport in Taiyuan. The route included scheduled stops at Alykel Airport near Norilsk and at Bratsk Airport in Bratsk. On July 14, 2001, this flight ended tragically when the aircraft crashed mere seconds after taking off from Chkalovsky Airport.[1] All ten occupants aboard lost their lives in the incident.[2]
Aircraft
The involved aircraft was an Ilyushin Il-76TD bearing registration RA-76588 (factory number 0043451530, serial number 39-03), which was manufactured by the Tashkent Aviation Production Association named after V. P. Chkalov in April 1984.[1] Upon completion, it was initially assigned the onboard code CCCP-76588 and delivered to the USSR Air Force during the same month. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it came under the control of the Russian Air Force starting December 1991, retaining its RA-76588 designation. In 1992, ownership transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force, from which it was subsequently leased to Russian carriers Atruvera (from October 1994 until November 15, 1995) and later to Aviacon Zitotrans (between November 15, 1995 and November 4, 1999). Afterward, on November 4, 1999, it was placed into storage at Tupolev facilities. The aircraft was acquired by «Rus» airlines on July 17, 2000. It was powered by four Soloviev D-30KP-2 turbofan engines produced by the Rybinsk Engine-Building Plant. By the date of the accident, this airframe had completed a total of 1,831 takeoff and landing cycles and accumulated approximately 3,523 flight hours.
Crew
The personnel aboard flight RUR9633 consisted of the following members:
- Commander: Vyacheslav S. Boyko, a highly seasoned aviator with a total flight experience of 12,850 hours, including over 5,000 hours piloting the IL-76.
- First Officer: Gennady A. Butenko, who had accumulated 230 hours flying the IL-76.
- Navigator: V. N. Tutaev.
- Flight Engineer: V. P. Geraskin.
- Radio Operator: A. B. Rubtsov.
- On-board Operators: K. F. Pavlov and S. S. Zavyalov.
- Inspector: Vyacheslav V. Kuskov, serving as Head of the Certification Department for operators within the OMTU of the Central Regions of Air Transport under the Russian Ministry of Transport.
Prior conditions
The Ilyushin Il-76TD aircraft bearing registration RA-76588 was conducting cargo flight RUR9633 from Moscow to Taiyuan, with scheduled stops at Norilsk and Bratsk. Weather conditions at Chkalovsky airfield included fog reducing visibility to between 500 and 900 meters, vertical visibility limited to 70–80 meters, and an ambient temperature of +8 °C.
The aircraft was readied for departure carrying 40.2 tons of cargo according to loading documentation. The declared takeoff weight was 191.9 tons; however, the actual cargo was not accurately weighed, resulting in an estimated real takeoff weight near 204 tons—approximately 14 tons above the authorized maximum. Despite awareness of this overload, the crew proceeded with takeoff preparations. Additionally, the pilots failed to perform calculations for proper aircraft balance or develop a cargo placement plan. This misalignment later contributed to difficulties in maintaining aircraft stability and control.
Takeoff and accident
Flaps were positioned at 30°, slats extended to 14°, and stabilizers set at -5.4°. The aircraft accelerated along the runway and reached a speed of 290 km/h after covering 2,700 meters, at which point the landing gear was retracted and flight RUR9633 lifted off. Shortly after becoming airborne, the plane began banking leftward; to counteract this, the Flight Augmentation Computer (FAC) applied rightward control inputs causing a right bank angle of approximately 7°. Given the excessive load, the aircraft struggled under these conditions.
At an altitude of 23 meters, pilots adjusted the stabilizer from -5.4° to -3.9° intending to initiate a descent without elevator input—a maneuver prohibited during takeoff phases. Following this adjustment, the aircraft ceased climbing and started descending. The commander attempted to recover by pulling back on the control column; however, recovery was not possible.
At 08:53 MSK, flight RUR9633 collided with trees located 930 meters beyond the runway’s end, continued descending until it crashed into the forest at 1,460 meters from the runway threshold where it broke apart entirely. All ten individuals on board—eight crew members and two passengers—perished in the crash. A monument has been established at the site in remembrance.
Investigation
The Interstate Aviation Committee was responsible for examining the factors that led to the Ilyushin Il-76 accident.
The investigative panel determined that the crash resulted from the aircraft striking obstacles shortly after takeoff, caused by the crew’s inability to maintain a safe climb path. This was due to a combination of adverse conditions, including:
- Deficiencies in the procedures for handling and documenting cargo at Chkalovsky airport, which allowed for the potential overloading of the aircraft;
- The aircraft's takeoff weight surpassed the maximum allowable limit by approximately 13.6 to 14 tons, based on research findings;
- A recurring and undetected piloting error by the B.C. FAC, notably involving the inappropriate use of the stabilizer to balance the plane at an altitude below where wing mechanization on the IL-76 radar begins, causing deviation from a safe ascent trajectory and ultimately leading to collision with obstacles;
- Poor coordination among crew members during takeoff under limited visibility conditions, characterized by inadequate monitoring of flight altitude by both the first officer and navigator;
- Localized fog reducing visibility, preventing the crew from spotting obstacles early enough to avoid impact;
- The presence of natural barriers such as forests along the approach path aligned with magnetic takeoff heading 121° at Chkalovsky airfield, which fails to comply with current civil airfield operational standards (NGEA-92) for civilian flights.
The inquiry uncovered numerous breaches in flight operation management and aircraft maintenance within CJSC Aviation Transport Company Rus, CJSC Aviation Transport Company Atruvera, and in flight support services at Chkalovsky Airport. As a consequence of these violations, the operating certificate for CJSC Rus Aviation Transport Company was revoked, and Chkalovsky airport’s certification was suspended.