In November 2025, the Central District Court of Omsk returned…
In November 2025, the Central District Court of Omsk returned Belov's case to the prosecutor's office for removal of obstacles to its consideration by the court. The decision concerns the return of pilot Sergey Belov's case, who in 2023 landed a plane in a field in the Novosibirsk region.
Consensus
- Sergey Belov, former commander of an Ural Airlines Airbus A320 flight from Sochi to Omsk, made an emergency landing in a field in the Ubinский District of Novosibirsk Oblast on September 12, 2023.
- The aircraft had a technical malfunction involving its hydraulic system and un-retracted landing gear, leading to increased fuel consumption and risk of engine failure.
- No passengers or crew members were injured during the emergency landing.
- A criminal case was opened under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Russian Criminal Code for violation of air transport safety rules.
- The case was initially sent to the Baрабинский District Court in Novosibirsk, but later transferred to Omsk due to the residence of most victims and witnesses.
- In November 2025, the Central District Court of Omsk returned the case to prosecutors for removal of obstacles to its consideration.
- The Prosecutor's Office appealed this decision through a complaint submitted by Deputy General Prosecutor Igor Tkachev.
- The Supreme Court of Russia has referred the case back to the Eighth Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction for review.
- The hearing is scheduled for August 13, and will be conducted via video conference.
- The court will include participation from defense attorneys Lev Galenkov and Sergey Stepanyants, as well as passengers, most of whom reside in Omsk.
Points of divergence
- The Supreme Court transferred the case to the Eighth Cassation Court on July 7, 2024. — vesti
- The Supreme Court referred the case to the Third Judicial Panel of the Collegium for Criminal Cases in June 2023. — interfax
- The damage assessed by investigators was 118,930,000 rubles. — interfax
- The damage assessed by investigators was 119 million rubles. — vesti
- There were 167 people on board, including six crew members. — m24
- There were 161 passengers and 6 crew members on board. — interfax
- The initial Rosaviatsiya report was annulled due to new information, leading to a supplementary investigation. — m24
- The hydraulic system malfunction involved leakage of hydraulic fluid affecting landing gear retraction and aircraft control during taxiing and braking. — interfax
- Belov stated that the decision to land in the field was due to fuel shortage. — m24
- The pilot chose Novosibirsk as an alternate airport because of its longer runway compared to Omsk. — interfax
Coverage (3 sources)
- Cassation Court to Review Prosecutor's Appeal in Case of Pilot Who Crashed Plane into Field — Вести
- Court Determined for Considering Case of Plane Landing in Field in Novosibirsk Region — Интерфакс
- Prosecution Challenges Return of Pilot's Case Who Landed Plane in Field Near Novosibirsk — Москва 24
Key entities
- Russia
- Sergey Belov
- Supreme Court
- Novosibirsk Oblast
- Moscow
- Novosibirsk
- INTERFAX.RU
- VS
- TASS
- Ural Airlines
- Ubinском районе
- Igoria Tkacheva
- Cassation