As it was undergoing takeoff tests at Zhukovsky International Airport (ZIA), in Moscow, an MC-21-300 prototype rolled off the runway, ending its course in the snow.
The MC-21-300 was undergoing an aborted take-off test with a simulated single-engine failure. The aircraft veered off the runway for an unidentified reason. It came to rest on the soft ground, from where it had to be towed out of the snow. No injuries were reported among the testing team.
The testbed involved in the incident is equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW1400G engines. It was the first to start flight tests, in 2017. Three other prototypes exist, including one fitted with the Russian-made Aviadvigatel PD-14 engines. The certification of the Russian single-aisle airliner is expected by the end of 2021.
