A court in the Russian Federation recently handed down prison sentences of between five and six years to three air traffic controllers for their roles in an October 2014 accident at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport. The court said the controllers violated Russian safety rules for transportation by allowing a Falcon 50 to strike a snowplow during its takeoff roll. All four people aboard the French-registered jet died in the accident. The snowplow was driven by an airport employee who reportedly lost his situational awareness on the airport prior to the collision. One source claims the plow driver was drunk at the time of the accident. According to a July 2020 story that appeared in the Moscow Times, the plow driver and his boss “were sentenced in 2017 to four and three-and-a-half years in prison, but both were freed in an amnesty.”
Pilot and ATC Associations Call for Release of Russian Air Traffic Controllers
Key Takeaways:
- A Russian court sentenced three air traffic controllers to 5-6 years in prison for their role in a 2014 Vnukovo Airport accident where a Falcon 50 jet struck a snowplow during takeoff, killing all four people aboard.
- International aviation organizations, including IFALPA and GATCA, strongly condemned the convictions, arguing that criminally prosecuting individuals involved in accidents is highly detrimental to flight safety.
- These organizations assert that such punitive actions hinder the ability to learn from incidents, discourage aviation professionals from providing crucial safety information, and contradict the principles of a "just culture" essential for preventing future mishaps.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
