On November 24, 2024, an incident unfolded at Antalya Airport where a Russian Azimuth Airlines Sukhoi SuperJet 100 caught fire. The aircraft, identified by its registration RA-89085, was involved in the incident while landing from Sochi, Russia. The fire started in one of the engines, prompting an immediate response from airport emergency services. The plane, which had just landed around 6:25 p.m. local time, carried 89 passengers and six crew members.
Son Dakika!
— Haber Air (@haberaircom) November 24, 2024
Antalya Havalimanı'nda kaza. Rus Azimuth Hava Yolları uçağı pist dışında alev alev yanıyor. İtfaiye, polis ve sağlık ekipleri müdahale ediyor. Uçak alev alev yanıyor. Yolcuların tahliyesine hızlıca başlandı. #Antalya #Antalyahavalimanı @AzimuthAirlines… pic.twitter.com/bPWk8awqaB
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All were safely evacuated using inflatable slides as a precautionary measure, with no injuries reported among those on board or on the ground. The quick action of the flight crew and the effective response by the airport's fire brigade ensured that the situation did not escalate beyond the initial fire in the engine. Video footage circulating online, later shared by news sources like Airport Haber, depicted flames and smoke emanating from the left side of the aircraft as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. The airport authorities temporarily suspended all landings on the affected runway, rerouting incoming flights to a military runway nearby, while departures continued from another available runway.
The cause of the fire has not been officially determined, but preliminary reports suggest it might have been due to windshear during landing, which can create sudden changes in wind direction and speed, affecting aircraft stability and potentially leading to engine issues. The airline, Azimuth, confirmed the incident, stating the aircraft experienced a "rough landing," which they attributed to windshear. This incident marks another significant event for the Sukhoi SuperJet 100, an aircraft that has faced scrutiny due to previous accidents. The SuperJet 100 program, intended to boost Russia's aviation industry, has been under pressure to ensure its safety and reliability.
Authorities from both Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) and Turkish officials are investigating the incident. The investigation will look into the aircraft's maintenance history, the conditions at the time of landing, and the response to the emergency. The aircraft involved was delivered to Azimuth Airlines in 2017 and had been in service for several years, which adds to the complexity of understanding why such an incident occurred. This event serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of aviation and the importance of swift emergency responses, maintenance diligence, and rigorous safety protocols to ensure passenger and crew safety.