All Three Engines Failed, Two People Fatally Injured

Russian investigators have begun looking at the Tupolev Tu-154 airliner which broke apart after making what amounted to a dead-stick landing and skidding off a runway Saturday. All three engines on the Russian-built airliner reportedly failed shortly after takeoff, and part of the airplane's landing gear reportedly collapsed during an emergency landing. The aircraft broke into three parts. Two people were killed in the accident, and some reports indicate that as many as 90 were injured.

Media sources including the Blaze report that the airliner belonged to Dagestan Airlines. It had departed from Vnukovo Airport en route to Makhachakala in the Dagestan region of southern Russia.

The Russian federal investigative committee said that two of the engines failed just about 50 miles from the airport on departure, and the pilot requested an emergency landing. The third engine reportedly lost power on final approach to Domodedovo, which is southeast of Moscow.

There were conflicting media reports concerning the number of people on board the aircraft and the number of those injured.

The aircraft was the same type as the one which went down in heavy fog earlier this year, fatally injuring Polish President Lech Kaczynski.

FMI: www.avia.ru/english/links/?j