Afghanistan: Dassault Falcon 10 jet crash Jan 2024

[MLHeliwrench]

News reports of a passenger jet crash. Origin of jet India or Indian registered. Indian government confirms all scheduled commercial flights accounted for. Looking in to charter ops. Edit to add: Not Indian - Morocco registered.

https://www.khaama.com/passenger-plane-crashes-in-northeastern-afghanistan/

Link to article (https://www.khaama.com/passenger-plane-crashes-in-northeastern-afghanistan/)

[DaveReidUK]

Russian (illegally) registered Falcon 10, reportedly on an ambulance charter/

[MLHeliwrench]

Russian (illegally) registered Falcon 10, reportedly on an ambulance charter/

Ok. This thread will maybe get moved. Mystery recent reggo change to Moroccan from Russian.

[NutLoose]

Two Russian VIPs and 4 crew died in a Dassault Falcon 10 private plane crash in Afghanistan while on the way from Gaya, India to Moscow, Russia. The plane was registered to a Russian company "Athletic Group." Identities of the VIPs not yet published. Actual plane pictured.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1200x819/image_15cf43bcf3a21d7dc8a440e7ed527b6d6f745254.jpeg


Passenger manifest of the Russian plane that crashed in Afghanistan when both engines failed:

Anatoly Evsyukov (65)
Anna Evsyukova (64)
(Likely husband and wife)

Crew:
Dmitry Belyakov
Arkady Grachev
Igor Syvorotkin
​​​​​​​Pavel Popov


​​​​​​​ Technical Director · DGC - Distributed Generation Company

​​​​​​​ https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1749003346936254942

[Bonzo777]

Flight originated from Utapao, Thailand (Pattaya airport). Refueled in Gaya, India and heading for second refueling to Uzbekistan. The wife, Anna, was very sick and husband received permission from Pattaya hospital to transfer her to Moscow. Sad.

[ETOPS]

Originated in U-Tapao-Rayong, Thailand and tech stopped at Gaya, Bihar, India. As they appear to have run out of fuel short of their next tech stop in Tashkent one wonders what happened during the refuel in India?

[SRMman]

Here’s the Reuters report:

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/report-plane-crash-northern-afghanistans-badakhshan-province-police-2024-01-21/

[damirc]

Uzbekistanian media are reporting this:
- plane was diverting to Kulob/Kulyab airport (UTKD) due to low fuel
- low fuel first reported 1405 UTC
- first engine flamout 1419 UTC
- second engine flameout 1429 UTC
- loss of contact at 1430 UTC, bearing 110 from UTKD at 57 kilometers distance (which would place it 200 km N/NW from the Zebak area reported)
- onboard 4 crew + 4 pax (in addition to the first 2 reported also 2 doctors)
- reported registration is RA-09011

Not reported, but some googling reveals the aircraft was "exported to Turkey" on Sep 20th, 2023 (registration N17CQ was cancelled on that date) so some funky business with the registration as CN-TKN should not have been a valid registration for this aircraft.

D.

[JapanHanuma]

Originated in U-Tapao-Rayong, Thailand and tech stopped at Gaya, Bihar, India. As they appear to have run out of fuel short of their next tech stop in Tashkent one wonders what happened during the refuel in India?

Would refueling even be possible in Afghanistan? Maybe the plane was being stretched to take it all the way to a suitable fueling location.

[CargoOne]

There are unconfirmed reports that Talib SAR found the aircraft and there are survivors.

[ORAC]

Four people have been found injured but alive, according to Russia's aviation authority, citing information from the embassy in Afghanistan, the fate of the others on board is still to be confirmed.

[MLHeliwrench]

Four people have been found injured but alive, according to Russia's aviation authority, citing information from the embassy in Afghanistan, the fate of the others on board is still to be confirmed.

Wow - imagine low fuel warnings, followed by flames outs, having to fly it to the ground the best you can, then perhaps living!?

[Timmy Tomkins]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/21/private-jet-crash-afghanistan-thailand-russia

[CargoOne]

It is a bit sketchy but what is known so far - the passengers were not the owners of this aircraft, it was chartered commercially for medivac. The aircraft is not under AOC therefore it is illegal for them to operate commercially. The crew have flown positioning from Moscow to Utapao (2 pilots) on 18 hours duty. They had about 6-7 hours rest/stop in Thailand before departing back with a tech stops in Gaya and next one was supposed to be Tashkent (TAS). I have no idea of Falcon 10 range/performance but it is believed they ran out of fuel due to headwinds. With accidents like this one it is unlikely that something else will pop up which will change the picture considerably.

[DaveReidUK]

Ok. This thread will maybe get moved. Mystery recent reggo change to Moroccan from Russian.

No, it was subsequently on the US register for over a year before going to Russia.

[JanetFlight]

According Aviaforum.ru (basically the Russian and CIS PPrune), a renowned user has just posted (using my google translator)»»»

"The plane that crashed yesterday after two engines failed in Afghanistan was flown by pilots Dmitry Belyakov and Arkady Grachev. The first was 41 years old, the second - 42. The other two people listed as crew members were previously doctors who accompanied the sick Anna Evsyukova and her husband Anatoly during transportation from Pattaya (Utopao) to Moscow (Zhukovsky). It was a registered ambulance flight, but in fact it was a commercial flight. However, both pilots only had private pilot certificates, meaning they could not fly commercial flights. These certificates were issued to them by the North-West Territorial Administration of the Federal Air Transport Agency in September 2023. Dmitry Belyakov has a total flight time of 2.4 thousand hours, while Arkady Grachev has only 870 hours. On the Falcon 10, the pilots had minimal flying experience. Both trained for this type of aircraft only last year. The FlightSafety International training center issued them with a document confirming their training for this business jet in May 2023. The operator of the business jet that crashed in Afghanistan, Athletic Group LLC, did not have any certificates for flights. According to the Rosaviatsiya website, the company did not have certificates for commercial air transportation, aviation work, or a general aviation operator’s certificate. Accordingly, she could not operate commercial flights. Permission to fly the Falcon 10 was issued as a non-commercial one. The flight was declared empty, with no passengers or luggage, and only two pilots. Previously, air transportation of a married couple and doctors was illegal. PS: So you don’t even have to wait for Monday."

You can also see there some actual pics of this Falcon already with the russian reg RA- as well the takeoff video from a nearby Moscow aerodrome to destination Thailand two days ago.

[BrogulT]

This was at most about 1100nmi from Gaya and the plane has a range of 1500-1600nmi (with reserves, I believe). If it was just range reduction due to headwinds I'd think they'd have known well beforehand that they weren't getting to Tashkent. I wonder if it would have been legally or practically possible to refuel in Islamabad, since their fuel situation ought to have been apparent by that point.

[JanetFlight]

Apparently the main plan was Utapao-Gaya-Dushanbe-Zhukovksky, and then the last leg was supposed to be Dushanbe-Zhukovsky non-stop; wich Falcon 10 seems (acc Dassault) the range for that leg its almost unable to do without breaking some rules.
So, running out of fuel, trying to beat headwinds to make it to first Dushanbe, and then to divert apparently to Kulob/Kulyab.
I keep my suspicions if they were indeed found alive, wich we all hope so...

[fdr]

That plane was a really nice DA-10, I looked at purchasing it some time back. The equipment in it was modernised. The DA-10 is many things, it is not however known for its extensive range, and the suggested route appears to be an impressive effort. If indeed both engines "failed" in flight, then I would be surprised if there was any "fire risk" at impact.

Shame, the DA-10 is a particularly nice example of Dassault's design prowess.

You get what you pay for as far as the operational competency is concerned.

Just ran a flight plan on the leg VEGY-UTDD, and it was marginal at all conditions due to the average HWC of 100KTS. Marginal, but not impossible, just needed full tanks and no alternate, and to fly range. The wind gradient on that leg is such that going lower doesn't lose much range, if any, so long as the aircraft is operated at LRC and not just at MCT or M080 or above.

Would be surprised if there was 8-POB, 6 would be a full load with any medical equipment and a stretcher in place. The aircraft did have a lifeport system back when, before the Moroccans sold it or leased it to... wherever it has ended up.

[MLHeliwrench]

So Russians are buying N reg planes and using US companies for training (Flight Safety is owned by Berkshire Hathaway). How is Russian money paying for this?

[NutLoose]

Film of the wreckage and survivors.

https://twitter.com/Sprinter99800/status/1749358431885013044

https://twitter.com/Sprinter99800/status/1749358431885013044

https://twitter.com/ziakhanzazai/status/1749378162310463693

https://twitter.com/ziakhanzazai/status/1749378162310463693

[Mike Flynn]

This from AKIpress News Agency in the Kyrgyz Republic.

AKIPRESS.COM - Four people survived the crash of the Falcon 10 private plane in Afghanistan, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency reported with reference to the Russian embassy.

"Local ground search and rescue found the Falcon 10 aircraft (registration number RA-09011). Of the six people on board the plane, four are alive (they have various injuries); the fate of two people is being clarified," the Federal Air Transport Agency said.

After the crash of a plane with Russians on board, the Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case into violation of traffic safety rules and operation of air transport, which through negligence resulted in the death of two or more people (Part 3 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

The plane belonged to the Russian company Athletic Group and a private individual; the plane was performing a charter ambulance flight on the route Gaya (India) - Tashkent (Uzbekistan) - Zhukovsky (Russia). According to preliminary data, the cause of the crash was the failure of two engines, TASS and REN TV sources reported.

There were six people on board: four crew members and two passengers. The passengers were a businessman from Volgograd, Anatoly Evsyukov, and his wife Anna. The plane carried out a “private medical evacuation” of Anna Evsyukova, accompanied by her husband.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1271x972/img_2697_1c6e6403c11e4fa0d4cdbf1ad1cd16e864a92393.jpeg


More information here.https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/350051

[fdr]

So Russians are buying N reg planes and using US companies for training (Flight Safety is owned by Berkshire Hathaway). How is Russian money paying for this?

training can be done on the aircraft for a type rating, however, that requires TSA approval, under the foreign student program, The requirement is for the training, not the checking, if they already had a license and type, but pretty sure that given they are operating from a criminal state, that is currently conducting war crimes, are doing illegal operations, which may well include the basis that the approvals to fly out of Thailand, India etc were based on, then not sure that is of any concern to them. They may find new adventures around Avdiivka in the near future though, without the need for their licenses that should be a question from ICAO as to how the Russian CAA permitted such an operation to depart, and enter and abuse other ICAO airspace. (given Vlads status on international law, that is probably not on his horizon either, and ICAO has all of the interest in compliance of a bloated bureaucracy anywhere).

It is not always illegal to do an operation that colours close to charter, but these clowns would not likely be interested in any compliance to the ICAO norms of Annex 6 Part I.

Shame, that was a nice DA10, MSN 128 IIRC.


Looking at the registration from the FAA, it was registered with the FAA in August 22 and de registered in September 23. I had info on it in July 22 on what would have been the temporary FAA registration pink-slip/flywire. It is curious that the registration has been reserved still by the same DE entity, so it may be that the plane was never sold to Russia, this may be a lease of the aircraft, in which case, good luck getting the rubles out of Russia. The earlier owners were in Morocco, and they had a nice fleet of Falcon 10 (incl MSN 120) and Falcon 20's. Their planes were pretty nicely kept by the records they provided.

[fdr]

Film of the wreckage and survivors.



https://twitter.com/Sprinter99800/status/1749358431885013044



https://twitter.com/ziakhanzazai/status/1749378162310463693

Looks like the survivors are the crew, not Mr and Mrs Unfortunate Choice.

[Mike Flynn]

I find it remarkable that they overflew Lahore knowing the amount of fuel remaining.

[grizzled]

I find it remarkable that they overflew Lahore knowing the amount of fuel remaining.

I find many things about this occurrence to be remarkable, and some aspects almost unbelievable...

[CargoOne]

Some news say both pilots were a co-owners of this aircraft along with a spouse of one of them. Criminal investigation is open and all of them facing about 10 years in jail…. If so I would bet 99.99% it was not the first time they flew it commercially without having AOC nor ATPL…

[fdr]

Some news say both pilots were a co-owners of this aircraft along with a spouse of one of them. Criminal investigation is open and all of them facing about 10 years in jail…. If so I would bet 99.99% it was not the first time they flew it commercially without having AOC nor ATPL…

aircraft was de-registered in the USA in Sept 2023, so on the new rego with Russia, it hasn't been on that for long, but then they may have a willing audience given the state of Russian aircraft today. There will be a pretty close inspection on the sales documents related to the time on the US rego though, particularly the on sale, did it comply with current restrictions etc. As to not having an ATPL, the DA10 is a transport category aircraft, and would normally require an ATPL to operate, but Russia is Russia. (In the USA, they could fly with a PPL, but they do need a rating per §61.31(a), both (1) and (2). USA ain't Russia...).

[krismiler]

With a PPL, 2400 hours total time, minimal time on type and not being properly rested, I doubt the Captains decision making skills were at the required level. Any flight which operates near the envelope of an aircraft’s capabilities needs careful monitoring and the crew need to be ready with an alternative plan if things don’t go as expected.

A reputable operator would have provided suitably qualified and experienced crew, and not pushed the aircraft’s performance to its limit.

[NutLoose]

and not pushed the aircraft’s performance to its limit

Or in this case, sadly past it.

[JanetFlight]

Does anyone knows wich was the route they took on the first trip from Russia till Thai.
Wich airports did they choose to stop/gas and go?

[arf23]

I suspect anybody with a PPL about to do 10 years in a Russian jail will find themselves volunteered for any SMOs that might be in progress..

[Thrust Augmentation]

Can't put my finger on it, but the whole story has a reek about it.

[grizzled]

Can't put my finger on it, but the whole story has a reek about it.

Exactly what I was alluding to in my post (#26) above. My (too many) years of experience related to aviation operations in challenging locales, and the (oft-related) matter of aircraft and companies of dubious registration, suggests that the truth behind this occurrence is far more convoluted than your usual "miscalculation leads to fuel shortage leads to forced landing" story.

[barry lloyd]

Notwithstanding the other issues, the choice of Zhukovsky as the destination airport with an apparently seriously ill passenger seems an odd one, Zhukovsky is miles from anywhere, and certainly a half-decent hospital. The best private hospital in Moscow is the Botkin, and the nearest airport would be Sheremetyevo, but perhaps the checking there would be more rigorous than Zhukovsky...