MoND statement on the air crash in Smolensk
2010-04-10

TU-154M aircraft crashed in Smolensk, Russia,at 8.56 (CET). The aircraft took off from
the Warsaw-Okęcie airport at 7.15. The passenger list includes the names of 89 passengers
including the Superior of the Polish Armed Forces President of Poland Lech Kaczyński with
his spouse plus a 7 members of the crew.
Further information about the catastrophe provides: Government Information Centre
phone +48 (22) 694 75 28, (22) 841 38 32; e-mail:
dyzurny@rcb.gov.plFlags in the military units and on ships have been half-masted.
Ministry of Defence informs that the continuity of command has been retained.
Condolences by the Minister of National Defence Minister of National Defence
Bogdan Klich while informed about the air crash of the TU-154M aircraft in
Smolensk, in which the President of Poland Superior of the Polish Armed Forces
Lech Kaczyński died, said that it is an unimaginable, by its scale, drama for the
whole state and its armed forces. Minister Bogdan Klich, shaken by the size of
the tragedy offered to the relatives of the crash victims the words of his deepest
sympathy and solidarity in pain.
Information about Tu-154M aircraft The aircraft which crashed in Smolensk was one
of the two Tu-154M operated by the 36th Special Air Transport Regiment in Warsaw.
Aircraft of this type can take, depending on the cabin configuration, about 100
passengers onboard. The air crew is made up of 4 people, plus 3 to 4 of the cabin crew.
Aircraft that crashed in Smoleńsk had side number 101. It was a Russian made model
produced in 1990.
Its life-time is set at 30 thousand flying hours or 25 years of service. The hitherto air
raid is 5141 hours. During 20 years of the aircraft service, it was overhauled three times
according to its maintenance schedule. The last major overhaul was completed on 21st
December 2009. All current maintenance works have been conducted in accordance with
the required procedures.
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