Some plane crashes are more frightening than others, and what happened on March 23, 1994, is one of the most disturbing stories I’ve ever heard.
In one of aviation’s most devastating and avoidable mishaps, a pilot made a fatal mistake by allowing his children to sit in the cockpit, resulting in a disaster that claimed 75 lives.
Since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by aviation, which naturally led me to investigate what causes plane disasters.
I believe I’ve seen practically every episode of Air Crash Investigation, the show that reveals the truth about major aviation mishaps. But one instance still sends shivers down my spine when I think about it. It transports you into the cockpit of RIA Flight 593, where the pilots must deal with a recalcitrant plane, gravity, and, unfortunately, a youngster at the controls.
I don’t think I’ll forget the audio recording from that flight.
A typical flight, until something happened.
On March 23, 1994, Aeroflot Flight 593 crashed in the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountain range in southern Russia, killing everyone on board.
The trip had been rather regular until the captain’s children, Yana, 13, and Eldar, 15, were allowed to take the controls, a choice that eventually sealed their fate.
Captain Yaroslav Kudrinsky, an experienced pilot with more than 8,940 flying hours, had welcomed his children into the cockpit for their first international flight. We must recall that this was 1994, and post-Soviet Russia was approaching a new age, complete with a fleet of advanced Airbus A-310s.
The country was preparing for the future, and its pilots were part of an elite group that had been meticulously prepared to handle cutting-edge aviation equipment. In 1994, it was not commonplace for family members or a few select passengers to access the cockpit during flights.
However, Captain Kudrinsky made a fatal mistake that was highly forbidden.
Quickly took a terrifying turn.
While the plane remained on autopilot, Kudrinsky assumed it was safe for the youngsters to play with the controls, unaware of the terrible series of events that would shortly unfold.
Yana assumed the pilot’s seat at 12:43 a.m. and pretended to fly.
“Daddy, can I turn this?” Yana inquired as she sat behind the controls.
“Daddy, raise me up,” she said, attempting to gain a better perspective.
Her father then pointed out the stars and city lights, cautioning her not to press any buttons.
The scenario suddenly became terrifying when Eldar grabbed command of the plane. His father, the captain, felt he was only fooling around: “Turn it!” Pay attention to the ground as you turn. Let’s head left. Turn to the left! Is the plane turning?
“Great!” Eldar answered.
Son was the first to notice.
Unfortunately, as Eldar moved the control stick, he accidentally switched the plane from autopilot to manual mode.
A little warning light flashed, but the crew, unfamiliar with the aircraft’s equipment, missed it. Eldar was the first to recognize something was amiss when he observed the plane bank to the right.
The jet suddenly lost altitude, resulting in a desperate effort to restore control.
Eldar had only been in the pilot’s seat for four minutes when the jet abruptly tilted into a 45-degree bank, pushing everyone into their seats with tremendous G-forces. The staff and passengers tried to move under the enormous strain. Eldar was unable to move out of his seat as his agitated father shouted orders at him and attempted to recover control with one hand.
Captain Kudrinsky’s desperate efforts to steady the plane proved useless. His final words to his son were a desperate plea: “Eldar, get away. “Get to the back!”
For a little moment, the G-forces return to normal, allowing the pilot to sit up. He and the first officer manage to take control of the jet, but their efforts are unsuccessful since they shortly run out of available airspace.
75 passengers and personnel aboard died.
The damage was done, and the plane swirled wildly, stalling before descending to the ground at speeds exceeding 160 mph.
When the jet crashed, all 75 passengers and crew were killed instantly. The A310 crashed with its landing gear retracted, and all passengers were already strapped into their seats, anticipating an emergency landing. There were no distress messages sent before the disaster.
Aeroflot first denied any involvement and dismissed allegations that youngsters were present in the cockpit during the disaster. However, this was eventually proven false when the Moscow-based journal Obozrevatel published a translation of the cockpit audio recording on September 28, 1994, proving the existence of the youngsters.
An inquiry eventually revealed that human error, specifically the decision to let the children touch the controls, was the root reason. Despite the fact that the restrictions prohibited it, Kudrinsky permitted his children to fly the plane.
The disaster is still remembered as one of the deadliest and most preventable aircraft catastrophes in history, serving as a sobering reminder of the repercussions of disregarding safety procedures. Rest in peace to all the victims; this did not have to happen!
