Inquiry into fatal Aeroflot Superjet fire examines earlier Yakutia gear collapse

Russian investigators probing the fatal Aeroflot Sukhoi Superjet 100 landing accident at Moscow two years ago have analysed a Yakutia Superjet overrun and gear collapse as part of an assessment of the type’s structures and components. After returning to Sheremetyevo airport on 5 May 2019 the Aeroflot aircraft landed hard, suffering an undercarriage collapse before being destroyed by fire from escaping fuel. The Interstate Aviation Committee’s inquiry – which has been held up by pandemic-related restrictions – is exploring several aspects of the aircraft’s operation and design. It has looked into details of the Yakutia Superjet accident at Yakutsk in October 2018, during which the landing-gear collapsed when the jet overran the runway and struck an obstacle in an area under construction. The inquiry has completed analysis of undercarriage load modelling carried out by landing-gear supplier Safran, including assessment of research results into safety-related components of the landing-gear attachment points. Investigators have also studied the destruction sequence of the landing-gear and wings in the vicinity of the fuel tanks.<br/>