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The 159 passengers of Ural Airlines flight 1383, which landed in a Russian
cornfield in September, will receive a thousand euros in compensation per
person. This is much less than they are entitled to. Some reports mention
pilot error as the cause of the ditch. The aircraft is still out in the field.
 
The 159 passengers, who all got off the A320 unscathed, received 100,000
rubles, which is a thousand euros. International treaties on compensation for
civil aviation accidents contain much higher amounts. Ural Airlines, based in
Yekaterinburg, says it is nevertheless adhering to the rules.
 
There were 159 passengers and six crew members on board the Ural Airlines A320
on September 12. The plane was en route from Sochi to Omsk when the pilots
reported hydraulic problems just before landing and made a go-around. They
wanted to divert to Novosibirsk airport because of the longer runway. However,
the additional distance was 600 kilometers.
 
Partly because the landing gear doors could no longer close and there was a
strong headwind, the aircraft consumed a lot of fuel and they could not reach
Novosibirsk. The captain chose to land the Airbus in a wheat field near the
village of Kamenka. The crew carried out the emergency landing very
successfully: none of the occupants suffered any significant injuries. The
passengers and crew were later evacuated by land.
 
Who is to blame?
 
The Russian authorities have now looked into the situation, but their
conclusions are not clear. In some reports, the pilots - both of whom have
been suspended - are blamed: they should have landed in Omsk, because the
captain should have known that he did not have enough fuel to reach
Novosibirsk in the first place.
 
Other researchers defend the crew. A theory that is also doing the rounds in
Russian aviation circles is that Ural Airlines has used inferior parts for
repairs due to the Western boycott. The airline has denied this.
 
In the meantime, the A320 is still in the cornfield. The aircraft has not
suffered any major damage and could technically fly again, but Ural Airlines
does not yet know how the aircraft can be removed. Taking off and using the
field as a runway is one option, albeit a risky one. Other solutions are not
yet available.
 
And the harsh winter is approaching in the area, with lots of snow and
extremely low temperatures. The company now appears to have chosen to pack the
aircraft and look for new options for salvaging the Airbus in the spring of
2024.

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