Date:	Monday 19 February 1973
Time:	09:06
Type:	Tupolev Tu-154
Owner/operator:	Aeroflot, International Civil Aviation Directorate
Registration:	CCCP-85023
MSN:	72A023
Year of manufacture:	1972
Total airframe hrs:	459 hours
Cycles:	261 flights
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 66 / Occupants: 100
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	0,5 km NE of Praha-Ruzyne International Airport (PRG) -   Czech Republic
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO/UUEE)
Destination airport:	Praha-Ruzyne International Airport (PRG/LKPR)
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
While on an ILS approach to runway 25, the aircraft suddenly descended below the glide slope and struck the ground nose wheel-first, 467 m short of the runway. It broke up and burst into flames.

While investigators officially concluded that the cause of the crash was undetermined, it has been argued based on a draft of the final report, that the copilot may have inadvertently trimmed the horizontal stabilizer to 0° on final approach.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Owing to the high degree of destruction and total disintegration of the aircraft in the crash and ensuing fire it was not possible to establish the precise cause of the accident. The influence of unexpected atmospheric turbulence during the aircraft's final approach cannot be entirely ruled out."

www.idnes.cz
planes.cz
ICAO Circular 132-AN/93 (50-62)
L+K magazine (May 2013)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates