Boeing 737 Went Down On Approach To Kazan International Airport

A Tatarstan Airlines Boeing 737 on a flight from Moscow to Kazan went down Sunday after missing its initial approach to the Kazan International Airport. The airplane carried 44 passengers and six crew members. All were fatally injured in the accident.

USA Today reports that the airplane had aborted its first landing and was making a second attempt when the accident occurred about 1925 local time. Local officials report there was light rain and winds of about 18 miles per hour at the time of the accident.

Kazan is about 500 miles east of Moscow and is the capital of the Tatarstan region, which has a large Muslim population.

Reuters reports that the leased airplane was 23 years old. There were no technical problems reported with the airplane, however initial reports indicate that the pilot told air traffic controllers that the plane was "not ready to land." Alexander Poltinin, a senior regional investigator said that officials were looking into possible pilot error and technical issues with the airplane.

Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov told reporters that the plane "was vertical, practically vertical" when it impacted terrain.

Boeing issued a statement saying it was sending a technical team to provide technical assistance to the investigation at the request and under the direction of Russia’s investigating authority, the Interstate Aviation Committee.

“In accordance with the international protocol governing aviation accident investigations, all inquiries about the investigation must be directed to the NTSB,” the statement said.

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