The Pilot’s Haunting Last Words Before The Plane Crashed And Killed Everyone On Board After He Let His Children Fly
On March 23, 1994, Aeroflot Flight 593 tragically crashed, killing all 75 passengers and crew. The flight, en route from Moscow to Hong Kong, was operated by a seasoned crew: Captain Andrew Viktorovich Danilov, First Officer Igor Vasilyevich Piskaryov, and Relief Captain Yaroslav Vladimirovich Kudrinsky. The three had extensive experience flying together, but even their expertise couldn’t prevent the disaster caused by a critical error.
This flight was especially significant for Relief Captain Kudrinsky, as it marked the first international trip for his children, Yana, 13, and Eldar, 15. Hoping to create a memorable experience, Kudrinsky invited his kids into the cockpit during the journey. Despite airline rules prohibiting such actions, the crew believed it safe since the autopilot was engaged.
At 12:43 AM, Yana sat in her father’s seat, pretending to fly the plane. A few minutes later, Eldar replaced her, mimicking flight controls. However, at 12:54 AM, Eldar’s sustained inputs on the control stick, exceeding 10 kilos of force for over 30 seconds, caused the autopilot to disengage. A small indicator light warned the crew, but it went unnoticed.
With manual control activated, the aircraft began banking, destabilizing its wings and causing a descent. Recognizing the danger, Captain Kudrinsky urgently removed his son, exclaiming: “Eldar, get away. Go to the back, go to the back Eldar! You see the danger don’t you? Go away, go away Eldar! Go away, go away. I tell you to go away!”
Despite their efforts to regain control, the pilots overcorrected, leading to a steep climb, followed by a stall and an uncontrollable spin. At 12:58 AM, the aircraft crashed into the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountain range in southern Russia’s Kemerovo Oblast. There were no survivors.
Initially, Aeroflot denied that pilot error played a role. However, flight data and cockpit recordings later revealed the truth. The crash resulted from human error and violations of aviation safety regulations, including allowing unauthorized individuals in the cockpit.
