Date & Time:
Dec 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-20
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L760
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Chardzhou - Tashkent
YOM:
1938
Country:
Uzbekistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
30
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
36
Aircraft flight hours:
272
Circumstances:
The six engine aircraft was performing a regular schedule flight from Chardhou (Turkmenistan) to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with a crew of six and thirty passengers on board. On descent, while at an altitude of 500 meters, the aircraft nosed down at an angle of 80° and crashed in a huge explosion some 50 km from Tashkent Airport. All 36 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
According to Soviet Authorities, the captain was not at his seat at the time of the accident. Investigations revealed that a passenger was seating at the place of the captain and disconnected the automatic pilot before engaging the aircraft in a wrong attitude and configuration. This caused the aircraft to nose down and crash.
