Aviation crash: Antonov An-148 aircraft (RA-61704), on flight 6W703, collapsed

This Sunday comes with sad news from the world of aviation. The Antonov An-148 aircraft, on the 6W703 flight, crashed near Moscow.

By Sorin Rusi Last updated Feb 12 2018

Update 01:07 - 12: 02.2018: The search continues, and investigators are collecting data and evidence from witnesses, but also from Domodedovo International Airport, Moscow.

Antonov An-148 (RA-61704) aircraft would have been on fire

At the same time, the remains of the aircraft are collected. According to witnesses, the plane was engulfed in flames as it made its way to Earth.

Aviation accident: Antonov An-148 aircraft (RA-61704)

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A part of a Saratov Airlines Antonov AN-148 plane that crashed after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport, is seen at the scene of the incident outside Moscow, Russia February 11, 2018. REUTERS / Sergei Karpukhin

REFILE - CORRECTING HEADLINE A part of a Saratov Airlines Antonov AN-148 plane that crashed after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport, is seen at the scene of the incident outside Moscow, Russia February 11, 2018. REUTERS / Maxim Shemetov

Emergency services work at the scene where a regional short-haul Antonov AN-148 plane crashed after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport, outside Moscow, Russia February 11, 2018. REUTERS / Maxim Shemetov

A view shows a scene where a short-haul regional Antonov AN-148 crashed after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport, outside Moscow, Russia February 11, 2018. REUTERS

A view shows a scene where a short-haul regional Antonov AN-148 crashed after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport, outside Moscow, Russia February 11, 2018. REUTERS / Stringer

Update 19:45 - 11.02.2018: Sources close to the investigation team say that the pilots reported technical errors and were preparing for an emergency landing.

Update 19:35 - 11.02.2018: One of the 2 black boxes of the plane has been recovered. This is the voice recorder in the cockpit. At the same time, several wreckage was recovered.

The search and rescue operation is in progress. The searches will continue throughout the night, under the spotlight. The area will also be overflown with drones.

Witnesses say the plane was engulfed in flames as it lost altitude very quickly…
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Antonov An-148 (RA-61704) aircraft

This morning, Antonov An-148 (RA-61704) aircraft in the colors of Saratov Airlines, operating the 6W703 flight from Moscow to Orsk, collapsed. On board were 65 passengers and 6 crew members. According to Russian authorities, there are no survivors.

The aircraft took off at Moscow's 14: 21 (11: 22 UTC), with the final destination being Orsk, a city in the Orenburg region, south of the Ural Mountains. At 14: 27 lost contact with the aircraft.

According to FligthRadar24, the aircraft climbed to an altitude of 6400ft, then recorded a decrease of 22000ft per minute until it disappeared from the radars. The wreckage of the Antonov An-148 plane was spotted 20 kilometers southeast of Moscow Domodedovo International Airport.

Antonov An-148 (RA-61704) was 7.8 years old. Arrived in the Saratov Airlines fleet on 8 February 2017. It was configured in 2 classes (14 seats in Business Class and 108 seats in Economy Class) and powered by 2 D-436-148 engines.

According to information provided by aviation-safety.net, the aircraft was also involved in 2 minor incidents: on July 28, 2013 - the aircraft returned to St. Petersburg-Pulkovo after engine 2 stopped; on August 23, 2013 - after taking off from Mineralnye Vody, the aircraft lost part of the front train tire. In both incidents, the aircraft was flying for Rossiya Airlines.

Returning to today's accident, an investigation was opened, authorities taking into account several clues. At the time of the collapse, the visibility was 2100 meters, it was snowing viscously, and the temperature was -5 ° C.

Several ambulances arrived, the forensic medicine, the forensic police and Maxim Sokolov, the transport minister.

The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) said that the plane lost radio contact within minutes after taking off. He disappeared from radar screens as he flew over the Ramenskoe district of the Moscow region.

Condolences to the bereaved families. We will return with information depending on how the present investigation advances.