Tupolev ANT-6 (TB-3 & G-2)

The crew was performing a cargo flight from Chelyabinsk to Kuybyshev with a load of various goods for a total weight of 2,543 kilos. About 50 minutes after its departure from Chelyabinsk Airport, while approaching the Ural mountains at an altitude of 700 meters, the crew realized he would not be able to overfly the mountain range so he made a turn to the left and slowly climbed to 1,200 meters. Few minutes later, the aircraft encountered katabatic winds, snow falls, strong winds and turbulences. As the crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude and to overfly the mountain range, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing. At a speed of 65 km/h, he made a last turn to the left when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located on the slope of a mountain. Three crew members were unhurt, one was slightly injured while the female copilot was killed, apparently by a heart attack. The aircraft was partially destroyed by a post crash fire. The aircraft was a Tupolev G-2, a cargo version of the ANT-6.

The crew left Segezha Airport in Karelia at 1940LT on a supply mission to soldiers based in the area of Lake S (name not given in the war-time accident report) in order to drop 7 paratroopers and three tons of supplies behind the German lines. While approaching the target area by night at an altitude of 1,000 meters, the aircraft was attacked by the German anti-aircraft artillery. The crew attempted three times to approach the zone, without success. Eventually, the captain decided to leave the area and continued to the east, climbed to an altitude of 2,600 meters, henceforth flying in clouds. As the crew lost his orientation and as the fuel reserve was low, he decided to attempt an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a wooded area located about 55 km from Bereznik. Twelve crew members were unhurt, the pilot, copilot and one marine were injured and the flight mechanic was seriously wounded. He died from his injuries three days later.

While in cruising altitude, the airplane collided with a flock of ducks. The engine suffered vibration and lost power. The captain reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a swampy area located near Kerch. All occupants escaped uninjured while the airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.

The airplane departed Urganch Airport at 1400LT on a flight to Tashkent, carrying 12 adult passengers, one child, five members of the Uzbek Civil Aviation and five crew members. Due to atmospheric interferences, it was difficult to establish communication with the crew. Nevertheless, a last message was recorded at 1626LT. It seems the airplane crashed half an hour later, at 1700LT. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was later found about 100 metres below the summit of Mt Nuratau (800 metres high) located about 60 km northwest of Jizzakh. The airplane was destroyed and all 23 occupants were killed.

The airplane departed Chardzhou Airport at 0545LT. During the initial climb completed at night, the pilot-in-command suffered a spatial disorientation and failed to listen the warnings from his copilot. The airplane lost height then stalled and impacted the ground some 10-12 km southeast of the airport before coming to rest in the shallow water of the Amu-Darya River. Two crew members and five passengers were killed. Two other crew members and four other passengers were injured. All 23 other occupants were unhurt.

The airplane departed Alma-Ata Airport at 1110LT on a special flight to Kazan with intermediate stops in Karaganda, Aktyubinsk and Kuybyshev. On board were high-ranking party and state officials of the Kazakh government. At the time of departure, weather conditions were poor with low clouds, turbulences, fog and severe icing. About sixteen minutes after takeoff, the captain decided to return to Alma-Ata Airport because of the weather. While completing a steep turn to the left at an altitude of 100-150 metres, he lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in a field located 6 km northwest of Dmitriyevka (now Baiserke), bursting into flames. Five crew members and 21 passengers were killed while eight other occupants were seriously injured.

On final approach to Kazan Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. The pilot continued the approach and descended too low, causing the airplane to struck the ground and to crash 6 km short of runway. All four crew members were injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

The airplane departed Tashkent on a cargo flight to Ashgabat, carrying three passengers and six crew members on behalf of the Central Asian Military District. Prior to departure from Tashkent Airport, the crew was informed that all bearings and lighting systems would be available upon arrival in Ashgabat. Nevertheless, while descending at night to Ashgabat, the crew was unable to locate the airport due to the blackout of the city. In such conditions, the crew decided to divert to Kyzyl-Arvat located in the Krasnovodsk district of Turkmenistan. On final approach, at a height of 70 metres, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill located 3 km south of the airport. Four crew members and two passengers were killed while three other occupants were seriously injured.

The airplane departed Moscow-Vnukovo Airport on a cargo flight to Vyazma, carrying five crew members and a load of ammunition and tracts. After takeoff from Vnukovo Airport, while climbing to a height of 20-30 metres, the left engine lost power. The airplane rolled to the left, lost height, impacted a tree and crashed, bursting into flames. Four crew members were injured and the mechanic was killed.

The airplane departed Moscow on a cargo flight to Novgorod, carrying one passenger, six crew members and a load of 3,221 kg of CS liquid. While cruising along the railway road to Kalinin, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Spirovo. All seven occupants were killed.