Varkahti airport disaster
 Burned out wreckage of Royal Knichan Air Flight 1183 | |
| Mid-air collision | |
|---|---|
| Date | 19 August 1980 |
| Summary | Runway collision |
| Site | Varkhati, Hayreniky, Republic of Syara |
| Total fatalities | 573 |
| Total survivors | 51 |
| First aircraft | |
| Type | Cheppali International 749 |
| Name | Rojas |
| Operator | Royal Knichan Air |
| Call sign | Flight 1183 |
| Flight origin | Kenlis, Ossoria |
| Last stopover | Dateva International Airport |
| Destination | Nycero Aerodrome, Knichus |
| Occupants | 290 |
| Passengers | 272 |
| Crew | 18 |
| Fatalities | 290 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Second aircraft | |
| Type | Cheppali International 749 |
| Name | Silvana |
| Operator | Górskan Federal Airways |
| Call sign | Górskan Air 2206 |
| Flight origin | Armavir Airport, Nalaya |
| Stopover | Dateva International Airport, Hayreniky, Republic of Syara |
| Destination | Leszwy International Airport, Górska |
| Occupants | 336 |
| Passengers | 318 |
| Crew | 18 |
| Fatalities | 283 |
| Missing | 53 |
| Survivors | 0 |
The Varkahti airport disaster occurred on 19 August 1980 when two Cheppali International 749 passenger jets collided on the runway at Varkahti Regional Airport, in the Realm of Hayreniky in what was then the Republic of Syara. The principle cause of the accident was when Royal Knichan Air Flight 1183 initiated take off while Górskan Federal Airways Flight 2206 was still on the runway. The impact and resulting fire killed everyone onboard RKA 1183 and most of the passengers aboard Górskan Air 2206. Out of a total of 626 passengers and crew onboard both aircraft, just 53 survived with 573 fatalities. It is the deadliest aviation accident in the history of Tyran.
Both flights were originally intended to land at Dateva as a stopover for their flights home, but a bomb threat forced both aircraft to divert to Varkahti Regional Airport. Varkahti was illsuited towards handling large commercial aircraft, having only one runway, no ground radar, and only a small crew of air traffic controllers on hand to coordinate the sudden influx of large passenger jets. Delays in organizing the various airliners at Varkahti were further complicated by the arrival of dense fog later in the day, due to the airports location within the Matra Mountain Range.
A joint investigation by Knichan, Górskan, and Syaran authorities was conducted to determine the cause of the accident, with the Syaran and Górskan authorities concluding that the principle cause was the premature take-off of RKA 1183 without explicit authorization from the air traffic controllers. RKA was reluctant to take full responsibility and attempted to argue that mutual misunderstanding and poor communication also played a bigger role. The outbreak of the Syaran Civil War forced Syara to withdraw from the investigation before a completed assessment could be published, but Knichan authorities eventually relented and agreed to accept responsibilities and pay compensation to the survivors and relatives of the victims.
As the deadliest air accident in history, Varkahti became a staple of pilot and crew instruction, highlighting the significance of proper procedural following, crew management, and risk management.
Background
Both flights were tourist charters from their respective home countries. RKA 1183 had originated in Ossoria for Knichan tourists and had departed from Kenlis bound for Nycero, with Dateva as a mid-way stop to take on fuel and some passengers. The cockpit crew consisted of Captain Aleix Cerecero, First Officer Aitor Sandoval, and Flight Engineer Faraji Gállego. All three were considered experienced crews of more than 10,000 combined flight hours, with Captain Cerecero often seen in promotional imagery of the company's newsletter and official magazine. The aircraft was a Cheppali International 749, named Rojas and had been in service with the airline for six years. The majority of the passengers aboard the aircraft were Knichans, with smaller numbers of Syarans and various other nationalities.
Górskan Air 2206 had originated in Armavir in Nalaya, carrying passengers and tourists back to Górska after an extended holiday during the summer. Dateva was the only stopover before the flight was due back n Leszwy later in the evening. The cockpit crew consisted of Captain Aleksy Prokop, First Officer Marian Sobczak, and Flight Engineer Jarosław Pacha. Although Sobczak and Pacha had less than 500 hours on the Cheppali 749, they both had over 8,000 hours on other aircraft within the Górskan Air fleet and were considered reliable crew members. Also flying a 749, named Silvana, the flight carried 336 passengers, mostly Górskan tourists and some Nalayans.
Both aircraft were intended to land in Dateva to refuel before continuing on their way home. At 10:50, a bomb planted by militants associated with the Hayren Republic as part of the ongoing Hayren War detonated at Dateva International, wounded 11 people. Syaran authorities ordered the airport evacuated until it could be cleared. Syaran civil authorities ordered flights inbound for Dateva to divert to nearby airports. RKA 1183 was ordered to Varkahti initially, while Górskan Air 2206 was originally ordered to head for Barteva before the Bartevan aviation authorities reported they couldn't safely accommodate another aircraft, and as a result Flight 2206 was diverted to Varkahti.
Disaster
Airport
Varkhati Regional Aiport was designed to accommodate local flights from within Syara rather than international flights. Varkhati had just one runway capable of support large passenger jetliners like the 749s, along with one major taxiway. As a result of the congestion from diverted aircraft, aircraft had to park on the taxiway, forcing departing planes to make use of the runway as a taxiway, performing what is known as a "backtaxi" (taxing down the runway, turning around, then commencing take off). RKA 1183 had landed before GFA 2206 and was therefore slotted to depart first after it had finished refueling. Captain Cerecero elected to have the aircraft refueled to above its necessary level, ostensibly in case any further delays occurred and to save time. Because of a lack of clearance on the congested taxiway, Flight 2206 was unable to depart and had to wait until the RKA had completed refueling.
By 1:00 PM the Syaran tower had manged to depart two of the larger jetliners, a process hampered by the fact that only two air traffic controllers were available, and neither had much experience dealing with larger airliners. They also lacked a ground radar, and thus were forced to rely on manually plotting the aircraft on a map of the airport and adjusting as flights moved and departed. The tower ordered the RKA flight, which was next in line, to taxi down the runway, then commence a 180 degree turn to get into take-off position. In order to keep the flow of the aircraft on the ground moving, the tower instructed GFA 2206 to follow suit shortly afterwards, but to then to turn off at taxiway three, which would allow the RKA plane to depart and Flight 2206 could then maneuver onto the now less congested taxiway and enter the runway for its own take off.
By the time the RKA plane had entered the main runway the temperament of the crew had soured; they still had to fly over the entire expanse of Siduri to reach their home in Knichus, and Captain Cerecero believed they would not be able to reach Nycero before overclocking on prescribed flight hours, a violation of RKA safety protocols in order to prevent crew exhaustion on long flights. Cerecero's decision to take on more fuel than necessary indicated he expected further delays, possible including further diversions due to the ongoing hostilities in the Hayren War.
To make matters worse, heavy fog had begun to descend upon the airport at around 11:45. Varkhati sits at 750 meters above sea level, at the tail end of the Matra Mountains which originate in Ruvelka further east. The high altitude often resulted in high-density clouds reducing visibility at the airport, which in different circumstances might have led the airport to being shut down for safety concerns.
Miscommunication
After completing his 180 degree turn, Captain Cerecero advanced the throttles, prompting First Officer Sandoval to protest by pointing out the aircraft had not received ATC clearance. Cerecero acknowledged and ordered Sandoval to contact the tower. Sandoval contacted the tower and reported that Flight 1183 was prepared for take-off and ready for to receive ATC clearance. The tower responded by giving the flight ATC clearance, which is not permission to take off, but merely the direction of which the aircraft is supposed to follow after take-off. Sandoval responded by repeating the instructions, and then added either "we are at take-off" or "we're taking off". Captain Cerecero then announced they were taking off and throttled the engines forward. The Syaran tower responded with "Alright", and then followed with "standby for take-off and I will call you okay?".
The latter part of the message was not heard by the RKA crew, as the crew of GFA 2206 suddenly interjected to announce they were still on the runway, having followed the RKA plane as it moved down the runway. Because of its small nature, Varkahti only operated a single radio frequency for departing flights; when two radios attempt to broadcast on the same frequency at the same time, any other listening station will only hear a shrill static sound known as a heterodyne. This was recorded on the RKA cockpit voice recorder, and as a result the RKA crew did not hear the tower instruct them to standby for take off, nor did they initially hear the GFA crew. First Officer Sobczak informed the tower that they were still on the runway, prompting the tower to request they report runway clear after they had cleared it. Sobczak confirmed he would, and the GFA plane continued taxing down the runway.
Due to the fog, neither aircraft could see one another on the runway, nor could the control tower see the runway. Flight Engineer Gállego evidently had heard the last broadcast from GFA 2206 indicating they would report when clear, prompting him to ask Captain Cerecero if they were clear, to which Cerecero responded with an emphatic "Of course!"
Collision
Flight 2206 was only taxing at 5 kilometers per hour, and had just arrived at its taxiway that it was supposed to turn off to when Captain Prokop noticed the lights of RKA 1183. Upon realizing that the RKA aircraft was approaching them at take off speed, Prokop applied full power and attempted to divert the plane onto the grass to avoid a collision. Captain Cerecero noticed the GFA airplane still on the runway moments later, prompting him to exclaim in surprise and attempt an early rotation of the aircraft; lifting the nose up to try to take off early. By the time Cerecero had noticed Flight 2206 was still on the runway, he was going too fast to stop. The early rotation caused a tail strike for approximately 20 meters.
The RKA 749 was with 100 meters of Flight 2206 when it managed to become airborne at a speed of around 140 knots. This was however too late to clear the GFA aircraft; the RKA aircraft struck Flight 2206 with its left-side engines, lower fuselage, and main landing gear, while the right-side engines destroyed the upper deck of the Górskan 749. Virtually the entire upper fuselage of Flight 2206 was destroyed, save for part of the front of the aircraft and the rearmost near the tail.
Flight 1183 remained briefly airborne, but had suffered immense damage to its wings, and the destruction of three of its four engines, while debris had been ingested by the fourth. Almost immediately afterwards the aircraft stalled, rolled to its right and slammed into the ground 150 meters past the initial impact point. Momentum carried the aircraft another 270 meters, which largely shattered the aircraft and caused am immense fireball due to the excessive fuel onboard. It would not be fully subdued for six hours. Survivors onboard Flight 2206 who survived were able to escape onboard the largely undamaged left wing, or escaping through holes in the fuselage.
The air traffic controllers in the tower were not originally aware of the collision until shortly afterwards when Royal Tennai Airlines Flight 4280, which was holding position on the taxiway approximately 200 meters from the sight of the impact, reported an orange glow on the runway, suggesting it was a fire.
Transcript
{Cockpit voice recorder combined ref.1980.08.19-13:15-13:13:17}
13:15 [RKA 1183 has completed pre-flight checklist, now in position at the end of runway, awaiting departure.]
13:15:36 [Sound of engine throttling]
13:15:38 RKA 1183 FO: Wait a minute, we don't have ATC clearance.
13:15:41 RKA 1183 CPT: I know that...go ahead, ask them then.
13:15:46 RKA 1183 COM: RKA 1183 is now ready for take off, ready to receive ATC clearance.
13:15:52 VARKAHTI TOWER: RKA 1183 you are cleared to the Basin AO, climb to and maintain flight level one one zero, right turn, and proceed with heading 50 until intercepting the six-one-five radial at Parnagi VOR.
13:16:02 RKA 1183 COM: Roger sir, we are cleared to Basin AO, maintain flight level one one zero, right turn, proceed to heading 50 and intercept six-one-five radial of Pargani VOR. We are now at take off.
13:16:04 [RKA 1183 brakes released]
13:16:05 RKA 1183 CPT: Let's go; we're moving.
13:16:06 [RKA 1183 throttles engine]
13:16:08 VARKAHTI TOWER: Alright. Standby for take-off and I will call you okay? [The second part of this message is inaudible in the RKA cockpit]
13:06:08 GFA 2206 CPT: Wait, no.
13:06:09 GFA 2206 COM: Wait, we're still taxing down the runway, Górskan 2206. [This message is not heard in the RKA cockpit due to interference]
13:06:12 VARKAHTI TOWER: Górskan 2206, please report when clear of the runway.
13:06:15 GFA 2206 COM: Okay, we will report when we are clear.
13:06:19 VARKAHTI TOWER: Thank you 2206.
13:06:20 GFA 2206 FO: Let's just get the hell out of here.
13:06:21 GFA 2206 ENG: Don't need to tell me twice.
13:06:22 RKA 1183 ENG: Wait, is he clear?
13:06:24 RKA 1183 CPT: What did you say?
13:06:26 RKA 1183 ENG: Is the Górskan clear, that 2206?
13:06:27 RKA 1183 CPT: Of course {Emphatic}.
13:06:32 [GFA 2206 Captain notices RKA 1183's lights in the fog from approx. 700 meters]
13:06:33 GFA 2206 CPT: There he is.
13:06:34 GFA 2206 CPT: That fucking son of a bitch is coming is straight at us!
13:06:35 [GFA 2206 engines throttle]
13:06:36 RKA 1183 FO: V-1.
13:06:37 RKA 1183 CPT: God...damn!
13:06:38 [RKA 1183 begins rotation]
13:06:39 GFA 2206 FO: Get off! Go!
13:06:40 RKA 1183 CPT: Come on, come on!
13:06:41 RKA 1183 FO: Oh shit!
13:06:42 RKA 1183 CPT: Come on!
13:06:43 GFA 2206 FO: Get off!
13:06:44 RKA 1183 CPT: Please!
13:06:45 GFA 2206 FO: Go, get off!
13:06:46 GFA 2206 ENG: Oh shit!
13:06:47-48 [Sounds of impact]
[13:07:10 Fire from collision becomes visible to TI4280]
13:07:11 FO Bhupali Kakati: Wait.
13:07:12 CPT Meha Harsavardan: What?
13:07:14 FO Bhupali Kakati: There, on the field.
13:07:16 CPT Meha Harsavardan: Oh, wait.
13:07:17 FO Bhupali Kakati: Looks like a fire.
13:07:19 CPT Meha Harsavardan: Call the tower. Call the tower and tell them they have a fire.
13:07:23 TI4280 COM: Uh, Tower this is RTA Flight 4280, we're offset of the runway, it looks like a fire's out there.
13:07:26 VARKAHTI TOWER: RTA 4280, are you reporting a fire?
13:07:28 TI4280 COM: Yes sir.
13:07:29 VARKAHTI TOWER: A fire on your aircraft?
13:07:31 TI4280 COM: No no no sir. A fire on the runway. Something's glowing.
Aftermath
Varkahti Tower became aware of the accident approximately a minute after it had occurred when Royal Tennai Airlines Flight 4280, which was sitting approximately 200 meters way from the collision on the taxiway, reported a fire on the runway. Air traffic controllers attempted to contact both RKA 1183 and GFA 2206 to no avail, and afterwards called for emergency services to be dispatched to the airfield. At the time, it was unclear that both aircraft had collided; from their vantage point RTA 4820 had only been able to see the fire from Flight 2206, but when emergency services arrived they found the wreckage of the RKA aircraft first. Unaware that there were two planes involved, rescuers did not reach Flight 2206's wreckage for another 20 minutes after their arrival.
Out of a total of 626 passengers and crew on both aircraft, only 53 survived. Everyone onboard the RKA 749 was killed by the collision and resulting fire, while 283 passengers and crew onboard GFA 2206 perished in the crash and flames. The scale of the devastation overwhelmed local emergency services, resulting in the dispatching of troops from the Army of the Syaran Republic to assist in dealing with the disaster. Combing through the wreckage and debris took months of work. A temporary morgue was made in the only hangar available at the airport. The scale of the dead forced Syaran authorities to take caskets and body bags from local morgues and city officials.
Because the event occurred on Syaran soil but involved two separate international airlines, a joint investigative commission was set up consisting of representatives from both airlines and the Syaran aviation authorities. Because both aircraft were produced by Cheppali International, the company was invited to take part to determine if mechanical problems had played any part in the accident. Although both aircraft were nearly completely destroyed, examination of the evidence ultimately produced no evidence of any mechanical issue that may have contributed to the accident.
Examination of the cockpit voice records, as well as the ATC audio records, quickly provided investigators with clear if complex chain of events, the most striking of which was the decision by the RKA crew to take off without explicit permission from the control tower. Both Syaran and Górskan authorities published preliminary reports, identifying the primary responsibility for the accident being the actions of Captain Cerebero. Knichan investigators were reluctant to take place full responsibility on their crew and highlighted a number of other issues, including the fog, the poor communication, and logistical difficulties. Debate continued on for months before Knichan authorities gradually came to accept responsibility for the disaster. Efforts to establish a full, completed report of the event were hampered following the outbreak of the Syaran Civil War in 1983, which resulted in Syara withdrawing from the investigation. Nevertheless, a compiled report was published in 1985 which acknowledged the failure of the Knichan crew to follow proper take-off protocol, and Royal Knichan Airlines agreed to pay compensation to the victims and survivors.
Varkahti remains the deadliest aviation accident in history. The multiple levels of failure that allowed the accident to happen have become a staple of airline safety training and procedures since the event, and several documentaries and studies regarding the disaster have been made.