Emergency landing in a field leaves Russian plane stranded
A Russian Ural Airlines plane, carrying approximately 160 passengers from Sochi to Omsk, was forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Kamensk (Saratov region) due to a malfunction. New photos indicate that the plane has not been able to take off again from the field, leaving it still stranded. This article provides more details about the incident and the reasons why the plane has been unable to resume flight.
4:52 PM EST, November 22, 2023
It's been nearly three months since the Ural Airlines' Airbus A320 was forced into an emergency landing. The plane remains there despite the intention of flying out from this wheat field. Photos shared by the user @Heroiam_Slava on platform X reveal the plane's existing position, surrounded by a fence with a small trailer set aside for guards.
Airbus A320's Emergency Landing Leaves it Stranded in Field
The Ural Airlines aircraft was forced to land due to damage to the hydraulic system. During an initial landing attempt at Omsk airport, the crew reported brake issues, rerouting the plane to Novosibirsk. However, the flight was undertaken with the landing gear extended, causing a surge in fuel consumption due to a strong headwind. As a result, the Airbus crew chose to land the plane around 124 miles shy of the destination, in the previously mentioned wheat field near Kamienka.
Following the landing, statements from the Airbus A320's handling airlines suggested that the plane received minor damage. They asserted it should be able to resume flight after several body attachment points are repaired. Considerations were also made about the engines, which had absorbed some soil during the field landing. This incident necessitates a replacement of blade components.
For Ural Airlines, returning this Airbus to service is crucial amid Russia's current international sanctions. These sanctions have deprived the country of access to new aircrafts and spare parts for the existing fleet.
The possibility of using the stranded A320 as a future "donor" of parts cannot be discounted if attempts to relocate the plane from the field are unsuccessful due to space constraints or cost-prohibitive factors.
According to the Flightradar24 website, this particular A320 identified by registration RA-73805 made its debut flight in February 2004. Before serving in the fleet of Ural Airlines, it was operated by Arab airlines. The first flight of this Airbus A320 series took place in 1987.
