All 21 people on board a Belavia Bombardier CRJ100 survived after the aircraft was destroyed in a take-off accident at the Armenian capital Yerevan on 14 February. There was no severe weather in the vicinity at the time of the accident, although temperatures were low and conditions were icy.
The nine-year-old aircraft (EW-101PJ) crashed at 04:19 while attempting to depart Yerevan Zvartnots airport for Belavia's base at Minsk with 18 passengers and three crew members on board. It overturned and was subsequently destroyed by fire. Belavia says there were "no victims", but lists seven occupants as needing hospital treatment.
Weather data from Zvartnots Airport at the time indicates relatively good visibility but a temperature of -3°C. Later data shows light snow in the locality.
The CRJ had been in service with Belavia for about a year, and was previously operated by Air Littoral, Eurowings and Mesa Airlines. The accident came almost exactly a year after the 13 February 2007 accident involving a corporate CRJ100 which, similarly, flipped over while taking off from Moscow Vnukovo for Berlin.
Source: Flight International
