One year on, pilot of fatal Aeroflot Flight 1492 rejects all blame for deaths of 41 people

It’s a year to the day since Aeroflot Flight 1492 burst into flames upon landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, taking the lives of 41 people. Now facing prosecution and jail time, the plane’s pilot wants to clear his name.

Speaking to Russian news outlet Lenta, pilot Denis Evdokimov explained his version of events. According to Evdokimov, the fault lies with the airplane’s non-compliance with standards of airworthiness, and he rejects all personal blame.

On May 5, 2019, a Sukhoi Superjet 100 plane operating Aeroflot Flight 1492 was gaining altitude when it was hit by lightning. As a result, the plane suffered an electrical failure and turned around to make an emergency landing back in Moscow. Upon hitting the ground, the aircraft bounced back up in the air and touched down hard, breaking the landing gear and spilling out fuel from the wings. The plane erupted in fire. Although some managed to escape, 41 of the 78 occupants died, including one flight attendant.

On October 2, 2019, Denis Evdokimov was charged with violating flight rules in connection with the incident. Last month, following an investigation by Russia’s Investigative Committee, the indictment against Evdokimov was approved by the country’s prosecutor general.

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