Cargo plane skids off runway in Russia after landing gear collapse, all crew survive; WATCH dramatic videos
A cargo plane skidded off the runway in Russia after its landing gear collapsed, with all crew surviving the dramatic crash.
FollowA dramatic crash landing was captured on video as a cargo plane skidded off the runway after its landing gear collapsed in sub-Arctic Russia. The footage shows the Antonov An-12 veering off the tarmac and into the snow-covered ground at Novy Urengoy airport following a suspected landing gear failure.
The aircraft, operated by Atran Airlines, made an enforced belly landing, with its left wing scraping the ground and sending sparks flying. As the plane spun out of control, its left wing became wedged in the frozen ground, preventing it from overturning but leaving it tilted in the snow.
Miraculously, all eight crew members on board survived the crash, with only one requiring hospital treatment. The aircraft had been flying in from Sabetta, a key Russian liquefied natural gas port above the Arctic Circle.
According to reports, the pilot had alerted air traffic control before landing that the aircraft's landing gear had not properly deployed. Following the crash, prosecutors confirmed that the landing gear had 'collapsed,' causing the plane to veer off the runway.
Due to the emergency landing, Novy Urengoy airport was temporarily closed. Authorities are investigating the incident, which occurred just two days after the same aircraft faced another landing gear-related emergency on a flight from Novy Urengoy to Sabetta. In that case, the crew managed to land safely after circling to assess the issue.
The Antonov An-12 involved in the crash has been in service since October 1970, raising concerns over Russia's continued use of aging aircraft. Critics have expressed worries about the maintenance and safety of older planes still in operation in the country.
The Ural Transport Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the timeline of the accident, stating: "On 26 March 2025 at 13:07, an An-12 aircraft operated by Atran performing a commercial flight on the Sabetta–Novy Urengoy route suffered a collapse of the left landing gear strut upon landing at Novy Urengoy airport, causing the aircraft to veer onto a side strip."
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