AirSafe.com Expands Content After 88 Killed in 737-500 Crash in Russia

Sept. 15, 2008 - PRLog -- The most recent fatal jet airliner event was on September 14, 2008 and involved a 737-500 aircraft flown by Aeroflot-Nord. The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Moscow to Perm, Russia. Contact with the aircraft was lost shortly before landing when the aircraft was about 3,600 feet, or about 1100 meters, above the ground.

The aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash, coming down outside of the city of Perm and near the tracks of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

All 82 passengers and six crew members were killed in the crash. There were seven children, including one infant, among the passengers.

About Aeroflot-Nord
This was the first fatal event for Aeroflot-Nord, which is one of the regional airlines of Aeroflot. The company that became Aeroflot-Nord was originally formed in 1963, and acquired by Aeroflot in 2004. Aeroflot-Nord currently flies a combination of 737s and Soviet-designed airliners.

About the 737
This was the 66th fatal event involving the 737, and the third involving the 737-500 series. The first 737 aircraft began commercial operations in 1968, and the first of the 737-500 series began service in 1990.

The first fatal event for the 737 was in 1972. This latest crash was the 20th fatal 737 event since 2000, with three of the 20 involving a 737-500.

All of the fatal events involving the 737-500 have been in Europe or Asia. The last fatal 737 event in North America or the European Union was a crash in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1994.

For additional information on this crash, including links to related audio and video podcasts and details about other fatal events involving airlines of the former Soviet Union, visit http://russia.airsafe.org

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Since 1996, AirSafe.com has provided the public with factual and timely information on airline safety and security events, as well as information about fear of flying, baggage rules, filing airline complaints, and other airline issues that concern the flying public. AirSafe.com was created by noted aviation safety expert Dr. Todd Curtis, who authored the 2000 book "Understanding Aviation Safety Data" and the 2007 book "Parenting and the Internet." Dr. Curtis has been interviewed by a number of national and international news organizations, including CNN, BBC, NPR, CBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal.