Polish President dies in Tu-154 crash - 132 victims

[james84]

The aircraft was carrying the Polish delegation to Smolensk in order to take part to the commemoration of Katyn massacre.
Abourd the Tu-154 were the Polish President Kaczinsky and his wife, several members of the government and relatives to the victims of the massacre, which involved 22000 persons during WW2. The pilot tried to land three times despite the advice to divert to Minsk, but the fourth attempt resulted in disaster. 132 victims in total. RIP
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.htm ... D=15010175

[Firebird]

I don't think that there is an awful lot you can say after reading that story.

[MIKE JG]

That's aweful news....

[sprocky]

Facts:
aircraft involved: Tu-154M reg 101 (http://russianplanes.net/REGINFO/3143)
maintenance status: not known yet
airfield: Смоленск-Северный (military, north of Smolensk, 2,500m rwy)
conditions: low visibility
other: three aboarted landings a fourth attempted landing underway

Possible causes:
low visibility combined with psychological stress for the crew caused by VIP pax

The real cause will be finally found by the investigators.

Currently they say there were 96 fatalities.

[MIKE JG]

"Get there"-itis only does one thing, it gets you killed. I know first hand, it almost killed me in an airplane a long time ago when I was young and stupid.