Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While in a combat mission, the airplane was shot down by a Japanese fighter. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed on the bank of the Luoqing Jiang River in Luzhai. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Yu Wan +2.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41bis in Khabarovsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1943 at 1705 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3510

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Khabarovsk - Arkhara

MSN:

7/300

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

857

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Khabarovsk Airport on a cargo flight to Arkhara, carrying three passengers, two pilots and a load consisting of 350 kilos of molybdenum. After liftoff, while climbing to a height of 10 metres and at a speed of 175 km/h, the right engine failed. The pilot attempted to compensate with the rudder but the airplane crashed nearby the runway and was destroyed. All five occupants were killed. Few hours later, one of the passengers died from injuries sustained.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the failure of the right engine could not be determined. However, it is believed that it may have been caused by one of the following:
- A broken VISh-22 control cable,
- Takeoff with the rudder pedals not in the neutral position,
- A failure of the ignition system,
- A failure of the fuel supply system.

Crash of a Tupolev SB 2 in Shizhu: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

117

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane suffered an unknown technical failure and crashed in Shizhu. The pilot Yuesheng Guo was killed and two other crew members were injured.

Probable cause:

Unknown technical failure in flight.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 near Sochi: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1943 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3508

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sochi - Maykop

MSN:

5/300

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1179

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Sochi-Adler Airport at 1400LT On a cargo flight to Maykop, carrying a load of fuel, three passengers and two crew members. About 20 minutes into the flight, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a mountainous area located 25 km north of Adler Airport. All five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Novye Burasy: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1942 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3536

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moscow - Saratov - Tbilisi

MSN:

9/215

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1032

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Moscow on a cargo flight to Tbilisi with an intermediate stop in Saratov, carrying three crew members and a load of 545 kilos of spare parts destined to the airplanes of the 8th Civil Fleet based in Tbilisi. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to sudden fog. At a very low height (5-10 metres), the pilot decided to return and initiated a left turn without gaining altitude, causing the airplane to struck the ground and to crash in a 70 cm snow covered field. All three crew members were seriously injured. The navigator died in the evening from injuries sustained.

Probable cause:

The pilot took the late decision to turn back and made an error by flying into a patch of fog. A poor flight preparation on part of the crew was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Omsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1942 at 1355 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-F152

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Glazhov - Omsk - Novosibirsk

MSN:

MMN-1

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

249

Circumstances:

At 1130LT, the crew departed Glazhov on a flight to Novosibirsk with an intermediate stop in Omsk. At that time, the crew was unaware that the weather bulletin they received was not valid anymore. While approaching Omsk Airport, the crew realized that the visibility was poor due to thick fog. The pilot attempted to land and reduced his altitude, apparently to establish a visual contact with the ground, when the airplane crashed 6 km northwest of the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and both crew members, a pilot and a flight engineer, were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was 200 metres in fog.

Probable cause:

The pilot's lack of discipline, manifested in a flagrant violation of the flight manual.

Crash of a Tupolev SB 2 in Belorechensk

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

18/81

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Belorechensk. All three crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Lt Nikolai Vasilyevich Makarov, pilot,
Lt Semen Alekseevich Krivitsky, navigator,
Sgt Nikolai Artemovich Vidyaev, radio operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Russia

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3501

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

05/202

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

About 35 minutes into the flight, the right engine failed, followed shortly later by the left engine. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in an open field and was destroyed. Both crew members escaped unhurt.

Probable cause:

Double engine caused by an error made by technicians at plant n°23, who incorrectly installed the fuel system with the feed valves mounted backwards.

Crash of a Tupolev SB 2 in Arkhipo-Osipovka: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

13/265

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Arkhipo-Osipovka, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
M/Lt Ivan Fyodorovich Gavrilov, pilot,
S/Lt Veniamin Alekseevich Kharchev, navigator,
Sgt Nikifor Ivanovich Simonov, radio operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.