World · Europe · 8 hrs ago
Pilot faces 127 million ruble claim over emergency field landing
Russian investigators have renewed charges against pilot Sergey Belov over an emergency landing in 2023.
Belov and co-pilot Semyonov were flying a Ural Airlines Airbus A320 from Sochi to Omsk with 161 passengers when a hydraulic-system problem arose.
Investigators say Belov continued toward Novosibirsk instead of landing in Omsk, and that fuel ran short as the aircraft's landing gear remained down.
The crew landed in a wheat field about 180 kilometres from Novosibirsk, and all passengers survived without injury.
Investigators now seek 127 million rubles for damaged aircraft parts, including engine fan blades, brakes and wheels.
Belov's defence disputes the damage estimate and the expert assessment, while the airline has received an insurance payment and says it has no property claim against him.
The case has been returned for further investigation over procedural problems, and the latest charge was brought on October 29, 2026.
Investigators are seeking 127 million rubles from pilot Sergey Belov over damage to an Airbus A320 that made an emergency landing in a wheat field in 2023.
The Investigative Committee says a fuel shortage led to the landing and that Belov violated flight safety rules.
Belov’s defense disputes the claimed damage and the expert assessment used in the case.
The aircraft’s owner, Ural Airlines, received an insurance payment and has no property claims against the pilot.
All 161 passengers survived the landing unharmed.
- Who
- Pilot Sergey Belov, the aircraft’s captain, and the Investigative Committee, which is pursuing the claim.
- What
- Investigators are seeking 127 million rubles for damaged aircraft parts and have again charged Belov with violating flight safety rules.
- When
- The emergency landing took place on September 12, 2023. The renewed charge was reported on October 30, 2026.
- Where
- The plane landed in a wheat field about 180 kilometers from Novosibirsk after a flight from Sochi to Omsk.
- Why
- Investigators say a fuel shortage led to the emergency landing and resulted from Belov’s decisions. His defense disputes the damage assessment and the expert evidence.
Investigative Committee
Belov’s defense
Cause of emergency landing
Investigative Committee
Investigators say Belov failed to check the fuel calculations and continued toward Novosibirsk despite a hydraulic-system fault.
Belov’s defense
The defense disputes the investigation’s conclusions and challenges the expert assessment.
Claimed damage
Investigative Committee
Investigators seek 127 million rubles for damaged parts of the Airbus A320.
Belov’s defense
The defense disputes the amount and says the case lacks information needed to establish the parts’ condition and value.
Expert evidence
Investigative Committee
Investigators rely on an expert assessment to support the charge and damage claim.
Belov’s defense
Belov says the expert lacked relevant experience, did not inspect the aircraft or review flight-recorder data, and a new assessment is needed.
The aircraft made an emergency landing in a wheat field about 180 kilometers from Novosibirsk, with all 161 passengers unharmed.
Belov was charged, according to BFM.ru.
Belov was charged with violating flight safety rules, according to 66.RU.
A court in Omsk returned the case over errors in the indictment.
The Eighth Cassation Court returned the case to prosecutors, according to 66.RU.
Investigators again charged Belov with violating flight safety rules, according to BFM.ru.
- Claim sought
- 127 million rubles
- Pilot
- Sergey Belov
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320
- Passengers
- 161; all survived unharmed
- Landing site
- Wheat field about 180 kilometers from Novosibirsk
- Damaged parts cited
- Seven engine fan blades, four brakes and wheels
3 sources
What people are saying
showed carelessness
Ural Airlines received an insurance payment of 1.3 billion rubles in the conversion, 11 times more than the damage incurred
crew’s skill
unacceptably low level of training