A Gazpromavia Sukhoi SuperJet 100 regional jet crashed on the afternoon of July 12 after taking off from Lukhovitsy-Tretyakovo Airport, near the Russian capital, Moscow.
The aircraft was undergoing maintenance and was supposed to land at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, but minutes later it crashed into a wooded area.
There were only three crew members on board who did not survive. Preliminary information suggests that the SuperJet began to descend sharply after reaching an altitude of 1,500 feet.
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According to the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the state-owned company that produces the aircraft, the SSJ100 with registration RA-89049 was undergoing a test flight after receiving repairs.
Gazpromavia is an airline arm of gas giant Gazprom and carries out charter flights to regions where the company operates.
The airline’s fleet now includes eight SuperJets in addition to three Boeing 737-700s and other smaller aircraft.
The SuperJet is a regional aircraft with up to 100 seats that was developed in partnership with Western suppliers with the aim of being exported to several countries.
However, the Russian jet failed mainly due to poor after-sales. Since the seizure of Crimea by Russian military forces, the UAC has invested in a variant with local content.
The SJ100 is undergoing flight tests, however, it is still equipped with SaM146 engines developed by French company Safran in partnership with a Russian company.
The aircraft is expected to receive the PD-8 turbofan soon, with which it will be mass-produced in the future.
