Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 22 November 1977
Aircraft Type: Tupolev Tu-134A
Owner/operator: Interflug
Registration Number: DM-SCM
Location: Berlin-Sch”nefeld Airport (SXF) – ÿ Germany
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 79
Component Affected: Pilot actions and control inputs, specifically the use of elevator input during the descent.Pilot actions and control inputs, specifically the use of elevator input during the descent.
Category: Accident
Narrative
An Interflug Tu-134A experienced a catastrophic hard landing at Berlin-Sch”nefeld Airport (SXF) due to a pilot?s deviation from established procedures. The aircraft was flown on autopilot, and the captain attempted to switch it off at a minimum altitude of 60 meters. Despite this, the pilot continued using elevator input to counter the autopilot, resulting in a rapid descent and a significant speed increase, leading to a hard landing. The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft, including a torn left wing, collapsed landing gear, and a skidded fuselage.An Interflug Tu-134A experienced a catastrophic hard landing at Berlin-Sch”nefeld Airport (SXF) due to a pilot?s deviation from established procedures. The aircraft was flown on autopilot, and the captain attempted to switch it off at a minimum altitude of 60 meters. Despite this, the pilot continued using elevator input to counter the autopilot, resulting in a rapid descent and a significant speed increase, leading to a hard landing. The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft, including a torn left wing, collapsed landing gear, and a skidded fuselage.

Description

Interflug flight 601, a Tupolev Tu-134A, suffered a hard landing at Berlin-Sch”nefeld Airport (SXF), East Germany. The flight from Moscow was uneventful and the approach to runway 25L was flown on the autopilot. The captain planned to switch off the autopilot at 60 m altitude, which was the established minimum altitude for an automated approach. The captain stated he was not able to switch off the autopilot. While continuing the descent, the pilot was using elevator input to counter the autopilot. While over the runway the descent rate increased and the plane hit the runway at a speed of 280 km/h and a sinkrate of 6-8 metres/sec. The left wing was torn off, the landing gear collapsed and the fuselage skidded for 400 metres before coming to rest next to runway 25L.

Source of Information

https://www.ddr-im-blick.de/jahrgaenge/jahrgang-1977/report/flugzeughavarie-in-berlin-schoenefeld/, https://www.airhistory.net/info/soviet.phphttps://www.ddr-im-blick.de/jahrgaenge/jahrgang-1977/report/flugzeughavarie-in-berlin-schoenefeld/, https://www.airhistory.net/info/soviet.php

Primary Cause

Pilot deviation from established automated approach procedures and a failure to switch off the autopilot.Pilot deviation from established automated approach procedures and a failure to switch off the autopilot.

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