Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 24 February 1999
Aircraft Type: Tupolev Tu-154M
Owner/operator: China Southwest Airlines
Registration Number: B-2622
Location: Rui’an – ÿ China
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 61 / Occupants: 61
Component Affected: Elevator control system components, specifically the pull rod and bellcranck connection.Elevator control system components, specifically the pull rod and bellcranck connection.
Category: Accident
A Tupolev Tu-154 flight 4509 crashed following a loss of control during approach to Wenzhou Airport, China, resulting in the deaths of all 61 occupants. The aircraft was descending to 11400 meters and experienced a steering column issue at 9000 meters, prompting the crew to descend to 700 meters. An angle-of-attack warning was triggered, leading to a stall and a steep descent until impact with a farm field in Rui’an.A Tupolev Tu-154 flight 4509 crashed following a loss of control during approach to Wenzhou Airport, China, resulting in the deaths of all 61 occupants. The aircraft was descending to 11400 meters and experienced a steering column issue at 9000 meters, prompting the crew to descend to 700 meters. An angle-of-attack warning was triggered, leading to a stall and a steep descent until impact with a farm field in Rui’an.

Description

China Southwest Airlines flight 4509, a Tupolev Tu-154, crashed following a loss of control while on approach to Wenzhou Airport, China, killing all 61 occupants. Flight SZ4509, a Tupolev Tu-154M, departed Chengdu Airport in China at 14:35 hours on a domestic flight to Wenzhou. The en route altitude was 11400 meters. At 16:02 hours, when the aircraft passed 9000 meters in the descent towards Wenzhou, the crew felt that the steering column was too far forward. The crew were puzzled by the control issue, especially at 16:26 hours when the steering column was fully forward. Yet, the aircraft was not in a nose-down attitude. The captain noted that the controls felt disconnected. At 16:29 the flight was cleared to descend from 1200 m to 700 m. When the flight crew selected the first stage of flaps, an angle-of-attack warning sounded in the cockpit. The aircraft entered a stall and began a steep descent until it impacted a farm field at Rui’an. Several farmers were injured by the flying debris. PROBABLE CAUSE: A self-locking nut, other than castle nut with cotter pin as specified, had been installed at the bolt for connection between pull rod and bellcranck in the elevator control system. The nut screwed off, resulting in bolt loss, which led to the loss of pitch control.

Source of Information

https://www.airhistory.net/info/soviet.php, http://www.todayonhistory.com/2/24/17779.htmlhttps://www.airhistory.net/info/soviet.php, http://www.todayonhistory.com/2/24/17779.html

Primary Cause

A self-locking nut, other than castle nut with cotter pin as specified, had been installed at the bolt for connection between pull rod and bellcranck in the elevator control system. This nut was removed, causing bolt loss, which resulted in loss of pitch control.A self-locking nut, other than castle nut with cotter pin as specified, had been installed at the bolt for connection between pull rod and bellcranck in the elevator control system. This nut was removed, causing bolt loss, which resulted in loss of pitch control.

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