The TU-104: a disaster which would like to avoid

The Tu-104-the first Soviet jet passenger plane, which took off just five years after graduation. The reason for this was the huge number of deadly accidents.

Development models 104 Tupolev

Work on the design of a passenger aircraft of a new type (jet) began even before the Council of Ministers officially instructed that the design office. The first drawings were prepared for the 1952-1953 year. A new development was the increased diameter of the fuselage, and the wing was moved down. The rest of the design was designed based on the successful model of the Tu-16. New jet liner received index 104, and the first drawings appeared as the Tu-2AM-3-200. By the way, all of the following development of the Tupolev design Bureau has received a three-digit index with four in the end.

Creation of the aircraft and the pilot training

Developed 104 model fast enough: the plane of the drawing, 1953, first took to the air in the summer of 1955. A factory test car, which by the autumn of the same year will be put into operation and become the first Soviet jet aircraft, began at the Moscow airport in Zhukovsky.

The Development of new models and introduction of the continuous operation demanded the restructuring of the entire structure of the airfields. Especially for the Tu-104 was held reconstruction of runways, their length increased, and coverage – improved. With the advent of jet aircraft began to appear and special vehicles for gas stations, tractors, machines for podzapravki water and oxygen, baggage cars, autolifts and self-propelled ladders. At the same time in airports started to work as usual for the modern man the ticketing system, check-in Luggage, there were buses that brought passengers to the gangway.

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The Tu-104 – a new level of comfort for passengers. Unlike its predecessors, the Board established a new chair with anatomic backrest and height adjustment. On Board passengers are provided with drinks and hot meals, but the stewards conducted a mandatory safety briefing before departure. That Tu-104 was the first aircraft, which was introduced by the habitual standard of service.

Part of the pilots on a jet plane switched from a Tu-16 – the base for the development of the Tu-104. These people did not require retraining. Other pilots some time to retrain on a converted Il-28.

The First passenger flight 104-I model the Tupolev design Bureau made on 5 November 1955. A year later, the aircraft reached the international level. During the visit of Nikita Khrushchev to London he flew to the three new aircraft. Then it made a splash, and the Tu-104 became the pride of the Soviet Union.

Participation in the military space program

Three Tu-104 was converted for training future astronauts. The plane was allowed a downward parabola, and the crew maintained a zero load, which created an effect of weightlessness. This model was the preparation for the spacewalk, Andrei Leonov, there is also training members of the lunar program of the USSR.

The First problems in operation

From the outset it became clear that jet is very difficult to manage and unstable in flight, with a significant failure of systems and equipment, defeated the buildup. Occasionally a passenger liner is very quickly gained altitude in a strong rise, and then fell down in an almost vertical dive. A major omission of developers, suggesting that the plane will fly at high altitudes, was the fact that when hit by a car in a difficult position Agde just “beat”, and the pilots it was not possible to align the liner.

Aviation accidents TU-104

The Accident rate of the new machine, which was made in haste, by modern standards, exceeded all reasonable limits. Statistics of accidents of the Tu-104 is appalling. In the history of the flight the accident happened with 37 ships, which is 18% of the total number of vehicles produced. This is the worst among the Soviet aircraft. But still in flight, the Tu-104 had behaved more decently than his English competitor – «Comet», which was falling apart in the air due to excessive loads on carelessly-designed fuselage.

The Loss happens mainly at the fault of the aircrew (53% of accidents of the Tu-104), slightly more than a third of cases are the consequence of the failure of machinery and equipment (35%). Unknown the exact causes only 6% of incidents with Tu-104.

First crash (1958)

The First incident with the Tu-104 happened in 1958 near Khabarovsk. The aircraft was performing a passenger flight on a route Khabarovsk-Irkutsk-Moscow, but after half an hour the flight went into a tailspin and fell into the forest. The controllers realized that the plane was facing serious problems in the air, but after a few seconds the connection is terminated. The crash of Tu-104 in 1958 claimed the lives of 64 people – all that were on Board. The plane exploded upon impact, a dense forest, the car was completely destroyed. The spread of the wreckage was almost half a kilometer. The Commission of inquiry said the cause of the crash of Tu-104 loss of control due to severe turbulence at high altitude.

Turbulence in the Chuvash ASSR (1958)

Another crash of the Tu-104 has occurred with the delegation of Chinese and North Korean activists of the young Communist League who went from Beijing to Moscow via Omsk. Inlanding at the destination dispatchers refused due to adverse weather conditions, so that the liner went to the alternate in Gorky. There too, it was impossible to land, and after Kazan meeting, the managers told me to come to Sverdlovsk. At this time, the Tu-104 was caught in a powerful upward flow of air and went into a vertical dive. The pilots did everything possible to save the passengers – at a height of two thousand kilometers of the crew members managed to align the Board.

It Soon became clear that the plane is doomed. In the crash of Tu-104 Kuznetsov (commander of the crew) continued without panic to comment on everything that is happening and ordered to convey his words to the ground. The plane crashed into the ground near the train station Apnerka in the Chuvash ASSR. Accidental witness of the tragedy was the crew of the Il-14, which was announced in Kazan that he sees a burning plane on the ground.

The cause of the accident was later called the imperfection of the design of the aircraft. Transferred to the commander of side information allowed to make some changes, resulting in a tendency of the liner to the tieback air flow was reduced. The tragedy with the same reasons in the future has not happened, but the disaster of the Tu-104 did not end there. Causes further accidents were different.

The Crash of Tu-104 near Sverdlovsk (1960)

The Plane performed a flight from Sverdlovsk – Vladivostok, via Omsk, Novosibirsk, Chita, Khabarovsk. The causes of the tragedy was the improper operation of on-Board equipment. The accident killed all who were on Board 108 people.

The Incident in Odessa (1961)

Another Tu-104 crashed during landing in Odessa in 1961. Fortunately, there were no such a large number of victims, as in previous times. One person died and another ten were injured. The plane was from Leningrad. Expected normal weather, but during the approach it became clear that over Odessa thickened heavy clouds were approaching storm. The plane crashed in the 6 pillars of the approach lighting system, the building of the RU liner pulled back in a wooded area, he hit his nose on the ground and caught fire. Passengers quickly evacuated, but some of the crew were injured. The Navigator later died in hospital.

Disaster at Moscow (1962)

The Board had a planned maintenance, which was assigned to flight testing. In the day of the flight onboard there were six technicians and five crew members. The plane made a run and started to get up, but left to roll, touch the ground. From blow it launched, then the model 104 crashed into the trees completely burned and destroyed. Killed all aboard. The cause of the accident was later called incorrect installation of the control system.

Accident near Krasnoyarsk (1962)

The Flight was performed from Khabarovsk to Moscow with multiple stops. At some point, the pilot stopped responding to the requests of the Manager. Doubt that the aircraft will reach the destination crept even then - too many tragedies with this liner. The crash of Tu-104 near Krasnoyarsk has occurred. The crew managed once again to contact earth. The pilots asked an excited voice, below ground services followed them. In the background was already heard the noise and rumbling.

The Airliner fell near the village of Voznesenka, 28 km from the airport in Krasnoyarsk. Killed all 84 people aboard. According to the initial information of the reconnaissance and investigators, the causes of the disaster were either a fire or some emergency in the cabin. But while on the ground near were teaching. It was later established that this was the cause of the crash of Tu-104 near Krasnoyarsk. According to the official data the plane was shot down by a missile.

Crash when departing from Vnukovo (1971)

The Crash of Tu-104 in Vnukovo happened in the evening of 10 October 1971. The ship was sent from Moscow to Simferopol, but after the climb fell to the ground and totally destroyed. Killing all 25 people who were on Board. The investigation was carried out which established that the cause of the crash of Tu-104 in this case was the explosion of a bomb on Board. The one who planted the bomb was never found.

The Disaster at Domodedovo (1973)

The plane was flying from Kutaisi to the capital of the USSR. The plane was carrying 8 crew members and 114 passengers. The sky was overcast, the pilots preparing for landing, exchanging messages with the Manager of the airport. At some point, the crew stopped responding, and after a few minutes, disaster struck. Tu-104 under Domodedovo crashed into a field 16 km to the West of the runway. In the fall of the liner tore the wires that I disconnected several villages. Killed all aboard. This mysterious crash of the Tu-104 became the most deadly in the history of the model.

The Incident at the airport (1973)

A month Later again tragedy with the Tu-104 in Moscow. Flight from Kutaisi during landing crashed into the ground and crashed. The weather was unfavorable, so the managers were warned that the landing may have to implement alternate airport. After the weather improvement (ship landed in Mineral Waters in anticipation of better conditions) flight headed to Moscow. When landing, the plane was taken to the right. 16 people died and 85. The cause of the accident called the wrong decision of the commander of the flight.

The hijacking Attempt in Leningrad (1973)

The Flight was completed the flight from Leningrad to Moscow, but in the ninth minute of the flight the flight attendant asked one of the passengers. It was a 47-year-old I. Bidyuk. He askedto transplant it into the first salon that did the stewardess. A few minutes later, the same passenger again called the stewardess and handed her a letter that told me to tell the crew of the ship.

In the letter, the passenger is required to send a plane to the capital of Sweden. After a safe landing, he admitted the possibility of returning home, but only after personal negotiations with representatives of the party leadership of the USSR. In that case, if the crew refuses to follow the directions of the malefactor – it will blow more than two kilograms of explosives, which is used in the mines. Then it became clear that the further catastrophe of the Tu-104 from Leningrad – it was a terrorist attack.

Any instructions to the crew about how to proceed in such cases, did not yet exist. The pilot had decided to immediately return to Leningrad and immediately reported about the events aboard the dispatch.

The Bomb, which was in the hands of a passenger was arranged in such a way that fire immediately when the button is released, so to disarm the attacker was not possible. That is why the mechanic tried to persuade Viduka that the plane turns and heads to Sweden.

But the criminal had already seen in the Windows of the Leningrad airport. He activated the bomb. At some point, the pilots managed to level the plane, the crew put the liner on the strip, but there was a fire. It quickly eliminated the ground services of the airport. The explosion killed two people: a crew member who was holding the door of the cockpit, and the terrorist himself.

Subsequently, all members of the crew were rated awards:

1. The Commander of the Board V. Yanchenko was awarded the order of Lenin and the “Gold Star" Hero of the Soviet Union.
2. Mechanic V. Gryaznov – Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously).
3. The co-pilot – the order of the red banner.
4. Flight attendants – order of the red Star.

Tu-104 near Chita (1973)

Another hijacking attempt took place in 1973. The airliner was flying from Moscow to Chita via Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk and Irkutsk. In Irkutsk there was a change of pilots and flight attendants. When the crew began the descent from the cabin came the demand to change course. From the plane there were several danger signals, the controller asked for altitude, but there was no answer. At the same time the plane disappeared from the radar, becoming a “cloud”. A few hours later, the debris was discovered Mi-8. Killed all who were on Board (81).

During the investigation, it was found that the plane was destroyed still in the air. This could be from explosive decompression in the cabin. After the completion of the investigation revealed that the detonation produced one of the passengers. The accompanying police officer attempted to defuse it, but a dying terrorist had managed to activate the bomb.

Crash after taking off from Sheremetyevo (1976)

2415 Aeroflot Flight headed to Leningrad, but soon after departure included in the roll. The speed continued to increase, and the plane more left in the Bank. The crew brought the aircraft from falling from overload. But withdrawing the liner from one roll, the pilots entered in another. The plane crashed in a forest near the village of Klushino. From blow about the earth the explosion occurred, all 73 people were killed.

The crash near Irkutsk (63, 71, 76)

There Were three of the disaster Tu-104 near Irkutsk – in 1963, 1971 and 1976. In the first case, the aircraft with foreigners onboard began to decline sharply and stopped responding to communications Manager, and then crashed into the ground at the airport. Survived the crash only two passengers (33 dead) citizenship of the USSR.

In 1971 in the accident killed more people. When planting the devices showed the speed correctly, so the crew was misinformed. The plane hit the concrete runway, ran “belly”. The fuselage was partially torn, part of it burned. The entire path of the aircraft on the runway was strewn with wreckage. The accident killed 97 passengers, a third of them died not from injuries, but from carbon monoxide.

In 1976 the plane several times crashed into the ground near the airport, the fuselage broke. Killing eight passengers and seven crew members.

Disaster in Vnukovo (1979)

The Crash of Tu-104 at Moscow (1979) claimed the lives of 59 people and another 60 were wounded. Almost immediately after the plane took off from the runway, fired up the left engine. It was not clear whether the fire occurred, or is it just a system problem. The crew decided to return to the airport. With one engine liner badly obeyed, he ran through the forest, began to bring down trees, destroyed. Many survivors were left permanently disabled.

The Investigation blamed the cause of the crash of Tu-104 at Moscow in 1979, the commander of the ship, which the pilot made the wrong decision. However, the crew themselves consider that the reasons were the strong depreciation of the aircraft (Tu-104 was 20 years old) and take-off in adverse weather conditions. After the disaster in November of the same year, the operation of the Tu-104 was discontinued.

The Incident in Pushkin (1981)

The Tu-104 is already removed from regular passenger flights, but the plane still continued to be used in the Soviet air force – this fact temporarily totally decapitated the Pacific fleet, when there was the crash of Tu-104 in Pushkin. Command of the Navy of the USSR were teaching in the suburban town. When departing back to Leningrad, the aircraft was in the modestall and fell 500 meters from the runway. All died on the spot. Not far from the scene were found a technician, which during takeoff thrown out through the nose. He later died in hospital.

Narrowly escaped death the chief of the Pacific fleet and the commander of the Kamchatka flotilla. The first flew off on another flight to Severomorsk, where he was allowed to visit relatives, the second – flew another plane.

Other incidents with the Tu-104

In this deadly incident model 104 does not end there. The above are just some of the accident. There was another crash near Tripoli (1970), which killed 13 people near Sofia (5 victims), near Ust-the Horde (3 persons), the accident in Rzhevka (without victims and victims), the tragedy in Sverdlovsk (7 victims) and so on.

The Cause of all trouble

After a lot of investigations and additional tests failed to find out the reasons of accidents of the Tu-104. The plane was a jet and flew at high altitudes, the fuselage swelled, and when landing fell. Gradually began to appear cracks. In the end, the plane exploded. In addition, the lower the air density the less stable of the flight. At the height of raging powerful currents of air, which spun the plane – easier than a conventional wind to rip from the tree autumn leaf. Resolve the problem just – decided to fly a little lower, where the atmosphere is calmer.

The Completion of the aircraft operation

Serial production of Tu-104 was discontinued in the mid 1960s. at the same time began the development of better ships. In regular flight the plane was used until 1979, finally took it off after the crash, which killed the entire top of the Pacific fleet. The last time the Tu-154 went up in the air when he carried out the distillation of the aircraft to the Museum of civil aviation in Ulyanovsk in 1986. The experience gained by developers in the creation and introduction into service of the Tu-154, allowed us to construct a more perfect Tu-134, which is used in civil aviation until now.