Russian aviation investigators are looking into the circumstances that caused a Smartavia Boeing 737-800 aircraft to slide off a runway following landing.
The incident occurred on October 24, 2023, after the aircraft made the journey from St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to Perm Bolshoye Savino Airport (PEE).
The Central MSUT of the Investigative Committee confirmed that there were 186 passengers on board the plane, including 14 children, when the runway excursion happened.
Accident investigators in Russia confirmed that there were no injuries to passengers or crew members, and the aircraft did not suffer from any damage.
Photos taken of the aircraft following the runway excursion show the plane sitting on a grassy strip. Weather reports at the time indicated heavy snow falling in the area.
“According to preliminary data, on the morning of October 24, 2023, the aircraft traveling from St.
Petersburg – Perm, while landing at the Perm airport, left the runway. The preliminary cause of the incident is unfavorable weather conditions. The Central MSUT of the Investigative Committee of Russia is conducting an investigation into this fact, based on the results of which a procedural decision will be made,” the Central MSUT of the Investigative Committee said in a statement on Telegram.
In a similar incident on September 23, 2023, a plane operated by AnadoluJet, a subsidiary of Turkish Airlines, rolled off the same runway with 174 passengers on board.