Russian Plane Crash: Why Did The Saratov Airlines Flight Go Down?

A passenger plane operated by a Russian airliner crashed Sunday shortly upon takeoff near Moscow. Saratov Airlines flight #6W703, heading from Domodedovo Airport to Orsk, a city 1,000 miles southeast of Moscow. All 65 passengers and six crew members died in the crash, according to reports.

The Antonov-148 aircraft vanished from radar five minutes after departure from the airport. Russian authorities discovered fragments of the aircraft in the Ramenskoye area about 25 miles outside the airport. The Russian Emergencies Ministry said on Twitter that the recovery process would require 150 people and 20 vehicles. The area, blanketed in snow, was said to be only accessible by foot.

While it was unclear what exactly triggered the crash, the transport ministry has considered factors such as pilot error and weather conditions. This year, Moscow has had some of the region's heaviest snowfall in decades. Plane crashes are common in Russia, where aging aircrafts are often approved for flight.

The Russian-made AN-148, purchased by the airliner a year ago, had been flying since 2010 but was shelved from 2015-2017 due to lack of parts. However, Saratov Airlines approved the seven-year-old plane for re-entry in February 2017, according to Russian news agency Tass.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a statement obtained by Interfax that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered a government-led task force to investigate the cause of the incident.

"The president instructed the government to set up a special commission in connection with the plane crash in the Moscow region and instructed the relevant agencies to conduct the necessary search operations," Peskov told Interfax.

Russia airlines have suffered several major plane crashes over the past few years. A Tu-154 military airliner went down over the Black Sea in December 2016, killing 92 passengers on board. In October 2015, an Airbus filled with tourists crashed in Sinai, Egypt, killing all 224 passengers.