Anna Hartz
Russian Plane Forced Back to Airport After Engine Part Falls Off
Air travel is often routine, but when it goes wrong, it can go very wrong.
With recent disasters fresh in people’s minds—including a fatal Air India crash—news of yet another in-flight problem has raised fresh concerns over aviation safety, especially in Russia.
The country’s aviation industry is facing mounting pressure as sanctions continue to cut off access to essential spare parts.
On Monday, a Russian passenger jet was forced to return to the airport shortly after takeoff when a part of its engine detached, reports Express.
Emergency Declared
The Azimuth Airlines Superjet-100 had just left Vnukovo Airport in Moscow on a scheduled flight to Batumi, Georgia. Not long after liftoff, the pilot was alerted to a serious mechanical issue.
Reports say the right engine’s cowling—essentially a cover for the engine—had come off. The pilot quickly requested to turn around.
The airport declared a “blue alert” emergency code and cleared the runway. Thankfully, the plane made a safe landing.
No one on board was hurt, and passengers were able to get off without further trouble.
Not Their First Problem
A video posted later showed engineers examining the damage. One of them didn’t hold back when describing the scene.
“Here it is completely fed up. And here it is the same thing. What a f-ing mess,” the technician can be heard saying while pointing at the affected engine.
This isn’t the first time Azimuth Airlines has experienced problems with the same type of aircraft. Two years ago, another Superjet-100 lost engine flaps during takeoff in southern Russia.
There’s growing concern in Russia about the state of its commercial aircraft. Western sanctions have made it nearly impossible to obtain foreign-made parts.
As a result, airlines are having a harder time keeping their fleets safe and reliable. Local media say at least seven planes had to abort flights or turn back just in the past week due to technical failures.
According to a top Russian defense official, at least 200 Western-made aircraft will need to be replaced by 2030. That number could end up being even higher, depending on how bad things get.