Overview
- The St. Petersburg–Baku flight reported a landing gear malfunction shortly after takeoff and returned to Pulkovo after low passes and fuel burn.
- The aircraft landed around 00:40 UTC and came to rest on the grass beyond Runway 28R after overrunning the pavement.
- Pulkovo Airport briefly suspended operations following the incident before resuming flights later in the morning.
- Transportation prosecutors opened an inquiry into regulatory compliance and passenger rights, with a technical probe expected to involve Russian authorities, Azerbaijan Airlines and Airbus.
- The A320 involved, registered 4K-AZ84, remains grounded pending inspection, and a replacement aircraft carried passengers to Baku later Monday.