Novgorod Mid-air collision

NOVGOROD MID-AIR COLLISION

### Summary

Air traffic control / S7 pilots fault to not notice the close proximity of the Tupolev 134

### Site

S7: ⁦59°05'46"N⁩ ⁦30°26'07"E⁩Aeroflot: ⁦58°51'52"N⁩ ⁦31°00'39"E⁩

### Total injuries

27

December 30th, 2006,

S7 Airlines flight 137 is a non-stop passenger service to Saint Petersburg, from Moscow, Russia. the Aircraft, An Airbus A310-300 carrying 216 passengers and 7 crew. most of whom are Belarusians on vacation. the flight should take around 2 hours due to a 30 minute delay, another aircraft around 30 minutes away from S7 flight 137 is Aeroflot Nord flight 7438, a Tupolev TU-134 carrying 71 passangers and 5 crew. the airspace both flight are closing in on is Novgorod airspace, it is busy around Novgorod due to many flight from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, or Moscow to Saint Petersburg.

Communications:

1=S7 Captain

2=S7 F/O

3=Aeroflot Nord Captain

4=Aeroflot Nord F/O

5=ATC

5: S7 137, Climb to flight level 2-8-0

2: S7 137, Climbing to flight level, 2-8-0

3: Dvina 7438, Requesting flight level, 2-6-0

5: Dvina 7438, airspace is full, stay at 2-5-0

2: S7 137, there is a lot of traffic up here, may we descend to 2-5-0?

5: S7 137, cleared for descent to 2-5-0

S7 flight 137 is cleared to descend to 25,000 ft, as it descend's through 27,000, they get a TCAS warning.

Communications

2: S7 137, we have a TCAS, what is the aircraft around us?

5: S7 137, The closest aircraft to you is an 737, 32 miles out, you must be having an electrical problem.

2: ok. keep us notified.

Flight 137 continues its descent to 25,000 while Aeroflot Nord 7438 continues it cruise at 25,000.

5: Dvina 7438, climb to flight level 2-6-0.

4: Dvina 7438, climbing and maintaining flight level 2-6-0.

when Dvina 7438 reaches 26,000 feet, a huge shudder rocks the aircraft. the pilots assume it is turbulence. The first officer decides to contact Novgorod air traffic controller to ask to climb to flight level 28,000.

4: Dvina 7438, requesting to climb and maintain flight level 2-8-0.

5: Dvina 7438, Negative.

Aeroflot Nord 7438 is told once again to stay in its cruise of 26,000. S7, Almost at its cruising altitude of 25,000, get yet another TCAS warning, The pilots, assume like last time, it might be an electrical failure, turn of TCAS and continue their slow descent towards 25,000.

Cockpit Voice recorder (Dvina 7438 and S7 137)

1= S7 Captain

2= S7 F/O

3=Aeroflot Nord Captain

4=Aeroflot Nord F/O

5=ATC

1: S7 137, we are descending through 26,000.

5: S7 137, copy

3: I could really go for some good food right now, what about you?

4:Indeed, I'll go grab some Pelmeni.

2: TCAS again?

3: Lets just call the flight attendant.

1: Must be a Glitch

4: Sure, why not.

\*Collision\*

3: какого черта?!

1: We're rolling left!

2: Верно,Верно,Верно,Верно,Верно!

5: Dvina 7438, you are descending, is this correct?

4: We're in a dive! Мы в пике!

1: S7 137! We're rolling!

5: S7 137, you're going inverted?

2: МЫ ПЕРЕВЕРНУТЫ!

3: НЕТ! НЕТ! НЕТ! НЕТ! НЕТ!!

4: Ivan! Help me pull! Помоги мне вытащить Ивана!

(7438) GPWS: Whoop whoop! too low, terrain! (Goes till end of recording)

5: Dvina 7438, are you hit?

4:ЧТО ВЫ ДУМАЕТЕ!?

1: Ok, Ok, Ok, Ok, Ok, level out baby, c'monnnnn....

3: 4,500... 3,000! ЭТО КОНЕЦ!!

\*Dvina 7438 hits with ground\*

1: C'mon Borris! Help me pull!

5: S7 137, do you see Dvina 7438?

2: Ask somebody else we are kinda focusing on saving our plane!

5: Ok, want me to call the equipment for you?

2: That would be much help!

5: Ok, Igor, call the equipment!

2: we got 5,000 on this!

?: \*Grunting\*

2: (Over PA) Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry... we are crashing, До свидания.

1: I got 600 feet on this Borris!

2: спокойной ночи, любовь моя.

\*S7 137 crashes\*

5: S7 is down..

Aeroflot Nord 7438 crashes on the outskirts of Pyatilipy, the plane crashed in a Inverted position, All 71 passengers and 5 crew die instantly.

S7 137 Crashes on in the town of Zagulyayevo, killing 196 of the 223 onboard, 18 others on the ground perish, 27 Onboard S7 survive.

272 people die in this incident. making it the 11th deadliest plane crash in history.

Aftermath:

Both of the airlines, Aeroflot Nord and S7 Both Blame each other for the incident. S7 was forced by the government of Russia to pay the families of the lost loved ones.

The Air traffic controller on-duty that night was sentenced to 10 years in prison, once he got out, he committed suicide.

7 of the 27 survivors committed suicide out of survivors guilt.

8 more civilian die of smoke inhalation and injuries when the plane crashed.