LoginGet started

Pilot’s CHILDREN in Control! | Aeroflot Flight 593

Mentour Pilot・25 minutes read

A tragic accident occurs when the captain of a Airbus A310 allows his children to manipulate the controls, leading to a series of errors that result in a fatal crash due to excessive bank angle and loss of control. The crew's failure to monitor the aircraft's attitude and respond correctly to the autopilot disengagement ultimately leads to the tragic outcome of the flight.

Insights

  • Allowing untrained individuals, like children, to manipulate aircraft controls can lead to catastrophic consequences, as seen in the tragic accident caused by the captain's decision to let his kids handle the controls without proper supervision or training.
  • Neglecting critical monitoring of the aircraft's attitude and relying solely on autopilot systems can result in a loss of situational awareness among the crew, leading to a chain of events culminating in a fatal crash due to a combination of human error and system limitations.

Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free

Recent questions

  • What happened during the Airbus A310 flight?

    The Airbus A310 flight from Moscow to Hong Kong on March 22, 1994, ended tragically due to a series of events involving the captain's children in the cockpit. The captain allowed his daughter and son to manipulate the controls, leading to the autopilot disengaging and the aircraft deviating from its intended route. This resulted in a fatal accident caused by a combination of the crew's distraction, incorrect control inputs, and a little-known function of the autopilot.

  • Who were the individuals involved in the Airbus A310 incident?

    The crew of the Airbus A310 flight included a 40-year-old experienced pilot, a 33-year-old first officer, and a 39-year-old captain who was traveling internationally for the first time with his two teenage children, Jana and Eldar. The captain's decision to allow his children into the cockpit and manipulate the controls ultimately led to the tragic outcome of the flight.

  • What led to the autopilot disengaging during the flight?

    The autopilot disengaged during the Airbus A310 flight due to the captain's children, Jana and Eldar, manipulating the controls in the cockpit. Eldar's forceful input on the control wheel caused the autopilot to disconnect the lateral channel, allowing the aircraft to continue turning right without any warning or indication in the cockpit. This unexpected disengagement of the autopilot contributed to the crew's loss of situational awareness and the subsequent tragic outcome of the flight.

  • How did the crew respond to the aircraft deviating from its route?

    The crew of the Airbus A310 failed to notice the aircraft deviating from its route as the bank angle increased. The captain was engaged in conversation, while the first officer was occupied with the controls, leading to a lack of monitoring of the aircraft's attitude. It was only when Eldar questioned why the aircraft was turning that the crew realized they were unintentionally entering a holding area due to a false track line displayed on the navigation display. This delayed response to the deviation ultimately contributed to the tragic accident.

  • What were the consequences of the Airbus A310 flight incident?

    The consequences of the Airbus A310 flight incident were severe, resulting in a tragic accident that claimed the lives of all individuals on board. The combination of distractions in the cockpit, incorrect control inputs by untrained individuals, and the autopilot disengaging led to the aircraft entering a spin and ultimately crashing due to a loss of control and inability to recover. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adhering to safety protocols and maintaining focus during flights to prevent such catastrophic outcomes.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

Fatal Consequences of Cockpit Show-and-Tell

  • On the evening of March 22, 1994, an Airbus A310 from Russian Airlines is preparing for a flight from Moscow to Hong Kong, requiring three pilots due to its long duration of 13 hours and 39 minutes.
  • The crew consists of a 40-year-old experienced pilot, a 33-year-old first officer, and a 39-year-old captain traveling internationally for the first time with his two teenage children, Jana and Eldar.
  • The captain invites his children into the cockpit, against the rules but not strictly prohibited at the time, and allows his daughter Jana to sit in the pilot's chair without handing over controls to the first officer.
  • Jana is instructed to place her hands on the control wheel while the captain switches the autopilot mode to initiate a left-hand turn, followed by a right-hand turn, all while Jana merely rests her hands on the controls.
  • After Jana, Eldar takes the pilot's seat and requests to turn the yoke, leading to the captain engaging the autopilot in a left-hand turn, with Eldar applying significant force on the control wheel.
  • Eldar's forceful input causes the autopilot to disconnect only the lateral channel, allowing the aircraft to continue turning right without any warning or indication in the cockpit.
  • The crew fails to notice the aircraft deviating from its route as the bank angle increases, with the captain engaged in conversation and the first officer occupied with the controls.
  • Eldar eventually questions why the aircraft is turning, leading to the realization that they are unintentionally entering a holding area due to a false track line displayed on the navigation display.
  • The false track line is a result of the aircraft not following the autopilot's intended route, causing the system to suggest a new track based on the aircraft's current turn, leading to confusion among the crew.
  • The situation escalates as the aircraft continues turning, ultimately resulting in a tragic accident caused by the captain's pride in showcasing the cockpit to his children and a little-known function of the autopilot.

14:12

Fatal Aircraft Spin Caused by Pilot Error

  • Pilots notice aircraft following suggested track line on navigation display, neglecting monitoring aircraft's attitude.
  • Aircraft banks beyond autopilot limits without oral warnings, causing increased difficulty in maintaining altitude.
  • Captain's command to hold control column leads to incorrect response from untrained pilot, hindering correction of bank angle.
  • Airbus flight control system allows partial control in case of blocked yoke, complicating attempts to level aircraft.
  • Aircraft stalls due to excessive bank angle, leading to increased g-forces and loss of control.
  • Autopilot disconnects, triggering high angle of attack protection system, causing rapid descent and speed increase.
  • First officer regains situational awareness, attempts to correct situation by pulling back on yoke, leading to extreme g-forces.
  • Aircraft enters spin due to incorrect control inputs, ultimately crashing due to loss of control and inability to recover.
Channel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatar

Try it yourself — It’s free.