Date & Time:
Nov 21, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-7
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kharkiv - Kharkiv
MSN:
1
YOM:
1933
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
20
Crew fatalities:
15
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
15
Aircraft flight cycles:
8
Circumstances:
This first prototype was built last August 11, and successfully completed seven sorties. While performing a test flight over the area of the Kharkiv Airport with 20 engineers and pilots on board, the pilot-in-command lost control of the heavy bomber that crashed in a field. Fifteen occupants were killed and five others were injured. Aircraft was destroyed and the project was abandoned.
Probable cause:
It seems that the loss of control was caused by a structural failure on one of both tails but this was never confirmed. Ukrainian authorities did not rule out the possibility of an act of sabotage.
