Aeroflot Flight 593: How a Child’s cockpit visit caused a deadly crash in 1994

The crash of Aeroflot Flight 593 from Moscow to Hong Kong on March 23, 1994 resulted in the death of all 75 people on board. The cause of the accident was initially a mystery, but it was later revealed that a 15-year-old was flying the plane at the time of the loss of control. The aircraft, which was on its first international flight, was carrying 12 flight crew and 63 passengers.

During the flight, the most experienced pilot left the cockpit to rest, leaving the Captain and another first officer in charge of flying the aircraft. The Captain allowed his two children, aged 12 and 16, to take turns sitting in the Captain’s seat and touch the controls. The 16-year-old son, in excitement, pushed hard on the control column, disengaging the autopilot control of the aircraft and partially taking control.

This action caused the plane to veer sharply, leading to a series of attempts by the pilots to regain control. However, the plane ultimately crashed in the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountain range of southern Russia at a speed of approximately 160mph. Investigations found no evidence of technical failure, leading to the conclusion that the crash was most likely caused by the children being allowed to take control of the flight.

Throughout the ordeal, the Captain was heard shouting at his son to get away from the controls and struggled to regain control of the plane, ultimately to no avail. The tragic event shed light on the preventable nature of the disaster and shocked the world when the details were revealed. It is clear that the actions of the 15-year-old caused the catastrophic crash, which could have been prevented.

This sobering incident serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to safety protocols and not allowing unauthorized individuals to take control of an aircraft.