Russian Sukhoi Superjet crashes near Moscow, killing three crew members

A Sukhoi Superjet 100-95LR passenger aircraft crashed on Friday near Moscow during a test flight following maintenance, killing all three crew members on board, Russian officials reported.

The Gazpromavia-owned plane, registration RA-89049, took off from Lukhovitsy Airfield at approximately 2:51 p.m. local time. It was en route to Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport when it went down about 7 minutes after departure, according to The Aviation Herald.

Russia’s emergencies ministry said the aircraft crashed in a forested area near the village of Apraksino, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) southeast of Moscow. No casualties were reported on the ground.

The plane had undergone major maintenance at Lukhovitsy and was on its first flight since May 3, 2024, The Aviation Herald reported. Russia’s Ministry of Transport stated that the crashed aircraft had no permission to fly.

Preliminary information from emergency services suggests the aircraft may have suffered engine failure, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. However, some Russian media reports indicated that both engines might have failed, possibly due to bird strikes during takeoff.

The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) has formed a commission to investigate the crash. The black boxes have been recovered, according to Rosaviatsia, Russia’s civil aviation authority.

This incident marks the third crash involving a Sukhoi Superjet 100 since the aircraft type entered service in 2011. Previous accidents occurred in Indonesia in 2012 and at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport in 2019.

The Superjet program has faced challenges, including engineering setbacks and production delays. Recent Western sanctions have complicated efforts to replace key avionics components, according to the BBC.

Russian airlines have struggled to maintain and update their fleets due to international sanctions imposed following the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The state-owned United Aircraft Corporation is developing a fully import-substituted version of the Superjet, but production has not yet begun.

Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the crash. Rostech, the state-owned defense conglomerate, urged against rushing to conclusions about the cause of the accident.