Over 30 years ago, a tragic event shook the aviation world—a plane crash that claimed the lives of 75 people. The heartbreaking incident was likely triggered by a seemingly small decision: the pilot allowing his children to visit the cockpit.
One of the most notorious plane crashes ever
In 1994, Aeroflot Flight 593 was en route from Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow to Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong. On board was relief captain Yaroslav Vladimirovich Kudrinsky, who brought along his 13-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son. The flight included crew members and 75 passengers in total.
As the flight proceeded smoothly, Captain Kudrinsky took his children to the cockpit and engaged the autopilot, allowing them a unique experience.
A Fateful Decision
First, he let his daughter sit in a pilot’s seat to give her a feel of flying the plane. Then, his son took his turn. Unfortunately, his son accidentally activated the manual control, which meant his actions were directly affecting the aircraft.
The autopilot disengaged due to the unintended manual inputs. The plane went into a steep banking turn, and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.
Pilot’s Struggles
The cockpit’s distressing audio, recovered later, revealed the frantic efforts of the crew. The plane entered an erratic climb and descent cycle, culminating in a deadly spiral.
Captain Kudrinsky and his co-pilot, Igor Vasilyevich Piskaryov, tried desperately to regain control. The flight recorder captured their final, chilling words:
Kudrinsky is heard saying: “Full power,” to which Piskaryov responds: “Speed is very high.”
Moments later, Piskaryov says: “We’re coming out, coming out!”, to which Kudrinsky replies, “Done.” Then Piskaryov, in panic, adds, “Gently! … Sh*t, not again.”
In the final moments, Kudrinsky’s voice is heard faintly: “We’ll get out of this. Everything’s fine… Gently [unintelligible], gently… Pull up gently!”
Within minutes of the autopilot being disengaged, the plane tragically crashed into a mountainside, leading to the loss of all 75 lives on board.
