Tatarstan B735 at Kazan on Nov 17th 2013, crashed on go-around

A Tatarstan Airlines Boeing 737-500 on behalf of Ak Bars Aero, registration VQ-BBN performing flight U9-363/2B-363 from Moscow Domodedovo to Kazan (Russia) with 44 passengers and 6 crew, initiated a go-around while on short final to Kazan's runway 29 but lost height, crashed onto or near runway 29 and burst into flames at 19:25L (15:25Z). The aircraft came to rest off the runway, all occupants perished in the accident.

A video released by RT Russia appears to show the Kazan crash but does not permit to judge the attitude of the aircraft, the perspective also does not permit to judge the vertical speed of the aircraft, however, it confirms the aircraft burst into flames right at touchdown.

Emergency services reported there were no survivors. The aircraft was on its second approach and was about to go around when the aircraft crashed.

Russia's Ministry of Emergency confirmed the crash, all 44 passengers and 6 crew have been killed in the accident. The aircraft had already gone around several times, when a fuel tank caught fire upon landing. The aircraft came to rest between runway and main taxiway (former runway 11L/29R).

Late Nov 19th the Ministry of Emergency reported that all recovery works are completey, the 23,000 square meters (2.5 million square feet) large debris trail has been cleared and the wreckage been removed. More than 1,600 people and 260 vehicles were involved in the post crash activities.

Tatarstan's Transport Prosecution Office have opened a criminal investigation into the accident confirming flight 363 from Moscow Domodevo crashed at 19:26L while attempting to land at Kazan's airport.

The Transport Prosecution Office later added (also releasing photos of the debris field), that the aircraft, tailnumber VQ-BBN, "fell onto the runway and burst into flames".

The airline released a passenger manifest listing 44 passenger and 6 crew names confirming their aircraft was involved in an "aviation incident" at Kazan, the circumstances of which are to be clarified.

Ground observers are reporting the aircraft had gone around two times and burst into flames upon touch down on third approach.

Other ground observers reported the aircraft touched down about in the right position, however unclear whether on or off the runway, burst into flames and came to rest between runway and taxiway close to the apron.

On Nov 18th 2013 the Interstate Aviation Comittee (MAK) announced that the investigation commission has arrived on scene and has started work. The aircraft crashed while landing at Kazan at 19:23L, 44 passengers and 6 crew were killed in the crash, the aircraft was destroyed. The flight data recorder has been found and recovered, however, the container of the recorder suffered substantial damage. Later the day the MAK stated, that the cockpit voice recorder has also been found and recovered, the container of which also received substantial damage.

On Nov 18th Rosaviatsia, Russia's Civil Aviation Authority, reported that the Boeing 737-500, flight 363 of Tatarstan Airlines, collided with ground between runway and main taxiway killing all 44 passengers and 6 crew aboard. While the MAK is investigating the cause of the crash, Rosaviatsia is reviewing the organisation of flight operations of Tatarstan Airlines.

On Nov 19th 2013 the MAK reported that first read outs of the flight data recorder revealed that the crew did not follow the standard approach profile, went around due to considering the approach as unstable (attitude not within stable approach parameters), the engine thrust levers were moved to TOGA and the autopilot disconnected, the aircraft was under manual control for the remainder of the flight. While the engines accelerated to near takeoff thrust, the flaps were reduced from 30 to 15 degrees, the gear was retracted and the aircraft pitched up to about 25 degrees nose up, the indicated airspeed began to decay. Only after the airspeed had decreased from about 150 KIAS to 125 KIAS the crew began to issue control inputs to counter the nose up, the climb was stopped while the nose was lowered by control inputs. The aircraft reached a maximum height of 700 meters (2300 feet) and began to rapidly descend until the aircraft impacted ground at a nose down attitude of 75 degrees at a speed of 450 kph (242 knots) about 20 seconds after reaching the maximum height of 700 meters. The engines were operating nominally until impact, the flight data recorders did not reveal any system malfunction. The cockpit voice recorder was not found inside its container, the assembly is missing and a search is under way.

On Nov 20th 2013 the MAK reported that the missing components of the cockpit voice recorder have been found and taken to Moscow for analysis.

On Nov 22nd 2013 Great Britain's AAIB announced they joined the investigation as well and have dispatched investigators to Kazan.

On Nov 22nd 2013 the MAK complained about press coverage and asked press to refrain from populistic speculation. The differentiation of "old" and "new" aircraft does not exist, the MAK stated, the only key to aviation safety is "airworthiness" continuing to argue that the average age of the 7,600 737 aircraft in operation is 20.4 years (Europe 20.3 years). The MAK reiterated that there was no evidence of any system failure including no evidence of an elevator (editorial addition: or stabilizer) malfunction.

The Airport of Kazan was closed for 23 hours and reopened on Nov 18th at 18:30L. According to AIP Russia the airport features two parallel runways 11L/29R and 11R/29L of about the same length of 3725 meters and 3750 meters, both runways feature ILS Category II approaches, according to NOTAMS issued on July 31st 2013 the runway 11L/29R was decommissioned however and runway 11R/29L renamed to 11/29.

Related NOTAMS:
A4696/13 - AD CLSD DUE TO TECR. 18 NOV 09:00 2013 UNTIL 18 NOV 14:00 2013 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 18 NOV 09:18 2013

A4677/13 - AD CLSD DUE TO TECR. 17 NOV 18:20 2013 UNTIL 18 NOV 08:00 2013. CREATED: 17 NOV 18:29 2013

A4559/13 - FLW TWY CLSD DUE TO CONSTRUCTION WORKS:
- TWY A, B, H
- MAIN TWY BETWEEN TWY A AND TWY B. TAX IN/OUT CARGO APRON AND MAINTENANCE APRON CARRIED OUT VIA TWY G. 12 NOV 10:00 2013 UNTIL 18 NOV 23:59 2013. CREATED: 12 NOV 10:50 2013

A3879/13 - MAIN TWY, TWY A, TWY B: EDGE LGT NOT AVBL.
ACFT TAXIING CARRIED OUT AFTER FOLLOW-ME VEHICLE. 01 OCT 23:00 2013 UNTIL 01 DEC 23:00 2013. CREATED: 01 OCT 11:58 2013

A2887/13 - AD SIGNS ON TWY A, B, C, D, E, F, F1, G, H DECOMMISSIONED DUE TO FORMER RWY 11L/29R RECONSTRUCTION AND RENAMING IT TO MAIN TWY. 01 AUG 13:00 2013 UNTIL 31 DEC 23:59 2013 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 01 AUG 12:15 2013

A2863/13 - RWY 11R/29L RENAMED TO RWY 11/29 DUE TO TRANSFORMATION OF RWY 11L/29R INTO MAIN TWY.
REF AIP AD 2.1 UWKD-5,7,9,10,31,32,34,38,39,71,72,89,90,91,92,
93,94,99,103,104,111,112,113,114,119,120,136,139,140,147,148. 31 JUL 10:00 2013 UNTIL PERM. CREATED: 31 JUL 10:20 2013

Metars:
UWKD 171600Z 24008G12MPS 5000 -RASN OVC008 03/03 Q0993 R29/2/0055 NOSIG RMK QFE734/0978
UWKD 171530Z 23008G11MPS 5000 -RASN OVC007 03/03 Q0993 R29/2/0055 NOSIG RMK QFE734/0979
UWKD 171500Z 23009G12MPS 9999 -RASN OVC008 03/02 Q0994 R29/2/0055 NOSIG RMK QFE735/0980
UWKD 171430Z 23009G12MPS 9999 OVC009 03/02 Q0995 R29/2/0055 NOSIG RMK QFE735/0980
UWKD 171400Z 23007G10MPS 9999 OVC011 03/02 Q0996 R29/2/0055 NOSIG RMK QFE736/0981
UWKD 171330Z 24006G09MPS 9999 OVC012 03/02 Q0996 R29/2/0055 NOSIG RMK QFE736/0982
UWKD 171300Z 24008G11MPS 9999 OVC011 03/02 Q0997 R29/2/0055 NOSIG RMK QFE736/0982
UWKD 171230Z 23005G08MPS 9999 OVC012 03/02 Q0997 R29/2/0055 NOSIG RMK QFE737/0983
UWKD 171200Z 23007G10MPS 9999 OVC011 03/02 Q0997 R29/2/0050 NOSIG RMK QFE737/0983