Sukhoi Superjet Test Flight Ends in Crash Near Moscow

A Sukhoi Superjet plane crashed in the Moscow region, resulting in the presumed deaths of three crew members. The crash occurred near Kolomna during a test flight after repairs. The exact cause remains unknown, and the aircraft's engines were manufactured by a Franco-Russian joint venture.

A Sukhoi Superjet passenger plane crashed in the Moscow region on Friday, resulting in the presumed deaths of three crew members, according to a statement by the Russian emergencies ministry.

The plane went down in a wooded area near the city of Kolomna, with no casualties reported apart from those onboard. State-owned United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) confirmed that the aircraft was on a test flight following repairs and belonged to Gazpromavia, an airline operated by gas giant Gazprom.

Equipped with a SaM146 engine from a Franco-Russian partnership, the aircraft’s crash highlights ongoing struggles Russian airlines face in sourcing spare parts due to Western sanctions introduced in 2022. UAC is working on an import-independent version of the Sukhoi Superjet, yet production has not begun. The incident marks the third crash involving a Sukhoi Superjet since its introduction in 2008, with the last two accidents resulting in multiple fatalities.