Ural Airlines Flight 1383
| Industry | Aviation |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Russia |
Area served | Domestic flights within Russia |
Key people | Sergei Skuratov (director) |
| Products | Passenger air transport |
Ural Airlines Flight 1383 was a domestic service operating between Sochi/Adler and Omsk in Russia. On 12 September 2023, the Airbus A320-214 assigned to this flight, carrying 159 passengers along with 6 crew members, executed an emergency touchdown in a field near Kamenka, located in Novosibirsk Oblast. Remarkably, all 165 individuals on board escaped unharmed.
Incident
While on final approach to Omsk, the flight crew initiated a go-around maneuver after reporting a failure in the hydraulic braking system. Subsequently, they diverted the aircraft to Novosibirsk, which features longer runways compared to Omsk ( versus ). The two airports are situated approximately apart. Due to the hydraulic malfunction, the landing gear door remained ajar, leading to increased fuel consumption amidst strong headwinds. Facing potential fuel exhaustion before reaching Novosibirsk, the pilots opted for an emergency landing in a field near Kamenka, roughly from Novosibirsk.
This event was associated with difficulties encountered by Russian carriers in obtaining spare parts amid international sanctions imposed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ural Airlines refuted claims that non-certified components were utilized.
The airline reported only minor damage to the aircraft and anticipated that it could resume flights after repair work, particularly involving the landing gear attachment points. Some soil ingestion occurred in the engines, necessitating replacement of fan blades.
Aircraft
The involved airplane was an Airbus A320-214 bearing registration RA-73805 and serial number 2166. It was powered by two CFM International CFM56-5B4/P turbofan engines.
Investigation
An inquiry into the incident was launched by the Federal Air Transport Agency. In parallel, Russia’s Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case under Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Russia, addressing violations of traffic safety regulations related to air transport. Both pilots were suspended from duty pending further investigation.
Fate of the aircraft
Following the incident, Ural Airlines initially planned to inspect and attempt to fly the aircraft out of the field. However, subsequent reports revealed intentions to dismantle it for spare parts instead.
In December 2023, Ural Airlines director Sergei Skuratov indicated that restoring the plane to operational status from its location was not financially feasible. Discussions then shifted toward disassembling and transporting it to Novosibirsk Airport for reassembly. Ultimately, on 12 January, the airline resolved to scrap the aircraft. It remains secured at the site behind fencing with private security present. According to Komsomolskaya Pravda, Ural Airlines paid approximately one million Rubles (about US$11,315) to lease the field until September 2024.
Reaction
Prior to the Eastern Economic Forum, Russian president Vladimir Putin publicly commended the flight crew’s handling of the situation.
See also
- Ural Airlines Flight 178 – Significant emergency landing event in 2019 shortly after takeoff