Smolensk air disaster

Coordinates: 54°49′26″N 32°03′05″E / 54.82389°N 32.05139°E / 54.82389; 32.05139
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Smolensk air disaster
Polish Air Force Flight 101
Wreckage from the Tu-154 at the crash site
Accident
Date10 April 2010 (2010-04-10)
SummaryControlled flight into terrain due to pilot error
Sitenear Smolensk North Airport
Smolensk, Russia
54°49′26″N 32°03′05″E / 54.82389°N 32.05139°E / 54.82389; 32.05139
Aircraft
Aircraft typeTupolev Tu-154M
Operator36 SPLT, Polish Air Force
ICAO flight No.PLF101
Call signPOLISH AIRFORCE 101
Registration101[1]
Flight originFrédéric Chopin Airport
Warsaw, Poland
DestinationSmolensk North Airport
Smolensk, Russia
Occupants96
Passengers89
Crew7
Fatalities96
Survivors0

The 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash occurred on 10 April 2010 when a Tupolev Tu-154M aircraft of the Polish Air Force crashed in the city of Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board. These included the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński and his wife Maria; the former President of Poland in exile Ryszard Kaczorowski, 18 members of the Polish parliament, and relatives of victims of the Katyn massacre.

They were en route from Warsaw to attend an event marking the 70th anniversary of the massacre. The site is about 19 kilometres (12 mi) west of Smolensk. The pilots attempted to land at Smolensk North Airport, a former military airbase, in thick fog that reduced visibility to about 500 metres (1,600 ft). The aircraft was too low as it approached the runway as a result of confusing instructions from the traffic controler. Striking trees in the fog, it rolled upside down, struck the ground, broke apart, and eventually came to rest 200 metres (660 ft) short of the runway in a wooded area.

References[change | change source]

  1. Ranter, Harro (10 April 2010). "ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev 154M 101 Smolensk Air Base". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 6 June 2017.

Other websites[change | change source]