Mysterious Flight Path Raises Concerns

A Red Wings Airlines Tupolev TU-214 (RA-64518) encountered two unexpected altitude changes during a flight from Batumi,Georgia,to Moscow Domodedovo Airport on saturday,March 29. The pilots were reportedly unable to explain the deviations, prompting an official inquiry.

Flight WZ-554 Incident Details

Flight WZ-554, carrying 126 passengers and eight crew members, departed Batumi around 10:40 am. After nearly three hours in the air, the aircraft landed in Moscow with a delay exceeding two and a half hours. However,the delay itself wasn’t the primary cause for concern. Telemetric data revealed the aircraft twice flew at altitudes different from those agreed upon with air traffic control.

The first incident occurred approximately one hour after takeoff, over the Republic of Kalmykia. Air traffic control recorded an altitude increase of 270 meters. Roughly 30 minutes later, above the Volgograd region, the Tupolev climbed more then 100 meters again. In both instances, the pilots did not initially respond to air traffic control inquiries, eventually returning to the assigned flight level of 36,975 feet.

Immediate Inspection and Subsequent Flights

Following the landing, airport technicians thoroughly inspected the aircraft for any mechanical faults. Finding none, the Tupolev was cleared to return to service. According to reports,the airline conducted further checks after ten additional flights to ensure continued airworthiness.

The Tupolev airline checks again after ten flights.

A History of service and Reactivation

Originally delivered to Transaero in 2009, the Tupolev was transferred to Red Wings Airlines in August 2016 following Transaero’s bankruptcy. However, after less than a year of service, the aircraft was placed in storage at the Kazan factory until 2023, with limited prospects for reactivation.

The landscape shifted dramatically following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The subsequent imposition of stringent sanctions by Western Europe and the united States severely impacted the Russian economy, including the aviation sector. This led to the refurbishment and return to service of the fifteen-year-old Tupolev in early 2024, highlighting the challenges faced by Russian airlines in maintaining their fleets amidst international sanctions.

The Russian aviation industry is currently facing significant challenges due to sanctions, including difficulties in acquiring spare parts and new aircraft.This has led to increased reliance on older aircraft and domestic production. According to recent reports, the average age of aircraft in the Russian fleet has increased, raising concerns about safety and reliability.

Investigation Underway

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the unexplained altitude deviations. The focus is on determining whether the incidents were due to technical malfunctions, pilot error, or external factors.The outcome of the investigation will be crucial in ensuring the continued safety of Red Wings airlines operations and the broader Russian aviation sector.