Investigation Summary
The accident occurred during the final stages of a three hour and 14 minute training session intended to familiarize EgyptAir crews with the newly delivered Soviet tri-jet. The aircraft was the first of its type delivered to Egypt, having arrived only seven months prior in December 1973. During a practiced overshoot (touch and go) on Runway 23, the aircraft transitioned into a climb with a continually increasing pitch-up attitude. This aerodynamic condition led to a stall at an altitude too low for the crew to effect a recovery. The investigation highlighted critical weight and balance issues, noting that the center of gravity (CG) had been inaccurately calculated before takeoff. Furthermore, it was suspected that ballast weights used for the training flight shifted toward the rear of the aircraft during the maneuvers, further destabilizing the longitudinal control and making the pitch-up tendency unrecoverable.
Final Conclusions
The probable cause was the continual increase of the aircraft's pitch-up attitude during an overshoot, leading to a stall at an insufficient height for recovery. Contributing factors included the inaccurate calculation of the center of gravity position prior to takeoff and the possible aft movement of ballast weights during the flight.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Ballast System
Weights used to adjust the aircraft's center of gravity for training purposes; their movement during flight was cited as a contributing factor.
Flight Controls
The pilot flying applied excessive pitch-up inputs which, combined with balance issues, led to the aerodynamic stall.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was the first Tupolev Tu-154 delivered to EgyptAir, arriving on December 1, 1973.
- 02The crew consisted of two EgyptAir pilots and four Soviet instructors.
- 03The aircraft was named 'Nefertiti'.
- 04The flight was a local training sortie that had lasted over three hours before the accident.
- 05The crash occurred during an overshoot maneuver on Runway 23.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Fleet Grounding and Return
Source ↗Following the crash and citing concerns over the aircraft's stability and technical reliability, EgyptAir grounded its remaining fleet of seven Tupolev Tu-154s. Despite Soviet insistence that the aircraft was safe, the airline eventually returned the entire fleet to the Soviet Union in 1975, replacing them with Boeing 727s.