ARMAVIA CONFIRMS ITS BLACK SEA CRASH AIRBUS A320 WAS ATTEMPTING SECOND APPROACH DUE TO BAD WEATHER
By David Kaminski-Morrow in London

Flight International
May 3 2006

Armenian national carrier Armavia has confirmed one of its Airbus
A320 had missed one approach due to bad weather and was attempting
a second before it crashed this morning off Russia’s Black Sea coast.

Poor weather conditions had forced the pilots of an Armavia Airbus
A320 to attempt a second approach to Sochi Airport in southern Russia
when the jet crashed into the Black Sea, the company says. Armavia
states that the crew of flight U8 967, operating from Yerevan to
Sochi, had received information en route that weather conditions
at the destination were poor and planned to divert to the Georgian
capital Tbilisi.

“Information from air traffic control about an improvement in the
weather conditions [at Sochi] was then received,” says the airline.

It says that the crew continued to the Russian city but, upon arrival,
found that the weather had not improved.

Russia’s transport ministry says that the weather conditions at
Sochi did not meet minimum criteria of 100m (330ft) cloud ceiling
and 1,500m visibility.

The ministry states that the A320 crew abandoned its initial approach
to Sochi before opting to make a second landing attempt, adding:
“After the [decision to conduct] the second approach, contact with
the crew ceased.”

It says that, just before the Sochi Airport air traffic controllers
lost radar contact with the A320, it was operating at a height of
around 920ft (280m) and a speed of 135kt (250km/h). The jet came down
at about 02:15.

Search operations are being conducted with two specialised rescue
vessels and at least 20 other watercraft. The ministry says: “As
soon as the weather will allow, helicopters will also be brought in
to assist the rescue work.”

Both the ministry and Russian accident investigation agency, the
Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK), have dispatched representatives
to the crash site. The ministry says that the accident occurred during
“adverse” weather conditions. MAK has not made any statement on the
weather at the time.

Meteorological data from the Sochi Airport weather station at
02:00 indicate the presence of cumulonimbus clouds but only light
precipitation.

Data shows that the sky was overcast and that cumulonimbus clouds,
the result of strong convective activity, were in the area. It also
indicates that the area was experiencing light rain showers and mist
but that visibility extended to 4km (2.2nm).

Armavia has confirmed that there were 105 passengers and eight crew
members on board the aircraft. MAK says that there were no survivors,
adding: “All members of the crew and passengers perished when it
struck the surface of the water.”

Sochi airport was also the destination of an August 2004 Sibir Airlines
Tupolev Tu-154 flight from Moscow Domodedovo which was brought down
by an axplosion, killing 38 passengers and eight crew.

Russian authorities concluded terrorism was the cause for the incicent
and a second, simultaneouls fatal hijacking.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress