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Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Ukraine

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the three engine aircraft was shot down by Ukrainian soldiers and crashed in a field. Occupant fate unknown.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-9 in Frunze

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L189
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
190
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Frunze Airport, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog and was unable to locate the runway threshold (T area). In such conditions, he initiated a go around procedure. Few seconds later, while completing a turn, both engines stopped simultaneously. The airplane stalled, collided with an irrigation canal and eventually crashed in a ravine located near the airport. All three crew members were injured.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure caused by a loss of fuel pressure. Possible fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Vaziani: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L157
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vaziani - Vaziani
MSN:
158
YOM:
1933
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
5138
Circumstances:
At 0800LT, the crew departed Tbilisi Airport on a short flight to the nearest airport of Vaziani where seven skydivers were picked up for a local exercise. During the takeoff roll at Vaziani Airport, the airplane veered to the left and the pilot aborted. A second attempt to takeoff was also abandoned few minutes later for the same reasons. As the crew thought that the mudguard was rubbing the left wheel, they proceeded with a slight modification of the position of the mudguard. On the third attempt to takeoff, the airplane lifted off then climbed to a height of 2-3 metres when it turned 90° to the left, causing the left wheel to touch the ground. The airplane rolled on a distance of 88 metres then the right wheel struck the ground as well. The airplane continued on a distance of nine metres then crashed. The airplane was totally destroyed and two paratroopers were killed. The other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control after takeoff was the consequence of the failure of the right rudder control cable.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The person in charge of the maintenance of the airplane was asked on October 20 to proceed with the change of both rudder control cables. The mechanic failed to comply with this order, did not proceed with any change and reported to his superiors that he changed the cables, which was not the case,
- The superior failed to check the work from his mechanic prior to release the airplane,
- The crew failed to inspect the airplane prior to takeoff and did not comply with published procedures,
- The pilot continued the takeoff procedure with an apparently defective airplane and failed to reduce the engine power when the airplane turned left after liftoff.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 near Kulob: 13 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1941 at 1110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L112
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kulob - Stalinabad
MSN:
112
YOM:
1931
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
5387
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kulob Airport at 1100LT on a schedule service to Stalinabad, carrying 11 passengers (nine adults and two children), two pilots and a total of 265 kg of luggage. Ten minutes after takeoff, while cruising at an altitude of 940 metres above a mountainous area, one of the engine failed. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing but there were no suitable terrain. The airplane lost height and impacted the slope of a rocky mountain (slope of 60°) located 18 km northwest of Kulob. The wreckage was found less than an hour later some 15 metres below the summit. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Due to the degree of destruction of the airplane and the lack of witnesses, the exact circumstances of the accident could not be determined. Nevertheless, one of the engine failed in flight, most probably due to the failure of a fuel supply and/or the carburetor where irregular and abnormal wears were found, because of a poor polish during the last repair session.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Tula

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L118
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Baku
MSN:
114
YOM:
1931
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a ferry flight from Moscow to Tula, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Tula Airport. After touchdown, the three engine airplane veered off runway, lost its left engine and came to rest. The crew was uninjured.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Novosibirsk

Date & Time: May 15, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L125
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Novosibirsk – Moscow
MSN:
126
YOM:
1931
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Novosibirsk Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 850 metres, the crew realized that the water temperature on the left engine was about 100° C. The pilot decided to attempt an emergency landing and reduced his altitude. At a height of about 200 metres, the mechanic made a mistake, positioning the elevator in a wrong angle. This caused the aircraft to nose up, to stall and eventually to crash. All occupants evacuated with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the left engine overheated because of a loss of water in the cooling system, this following the loss of the collector's cap. This resulted in a stall at low altitude due to the fact that the aircraft's speed was insufficient.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 near Shaki: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1938 at 0635 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L190
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Yevlakh – Shaki – Zagatala
MSN:
191
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Shaki on a cargo flight from Yevlakh, the airplane entered an area of fog. The pilot elected to return when the airplane impact the slope of a mountain and was destroyed. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot violated several rules of the air manual.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Lack of discipline at the airport of Yevlakh,
- The aircraft was 250 kg overweight at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Chardzhou: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1937 at 0905 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L163
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chardzhou - Urganch
MSN:
164
YOM:
1933
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
2087
Circumstances:
About five minutes after takeoff from Chardzhou Airport, while climbing to a height of about 500 metres, the right engine failed. The pilot decided to return to his departure point, made a turn to the left and reduced his altitude when the airplane stalled and crashed near the airport, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- A fuel connection to the carburetor of the right engine moved after takeoff due to strong vibrations, preventing the engine from being properly fueled,
- Numerous repairs had been made to this engine over the past two days,
- The pilot took the decision to return to his departure point when there was a serviceable airfield located 800-1,000 metres from his position,
- The crew failed to shut off the fuel feed to the right engine, which led to the engine fire and explosion.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Zaporozhie: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1937 at 0850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L176
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Simferopol – Zaporozhie – Moscow
MSN:
177
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Aircraft flight hours:
2268
Circumstances:
A NKPO PL-5 registered CCCP-I93 departed Zaporozhie Airport on a flight to Moscow with two passengers and two crew members. Few minutes after takeoff, for unknown reasons, the crew decided to return tp Zaporozhie. In the mean time, an Aeroflot Tupolev ANT-9 was ready for a flight to Moscow, the second leg of a schedule service from Simferopol to Moscow, carrying nine passengers and two crew members. For unknown reasons, the crew of the PL-5 decided to land without permission as well as the crew of the ANT-9 started the takeoff procedure on the same runway without permission. Both airplanes collided on the runway and burst into flames. Three passengers on board the ANT-9 were injured while 8 others occupants were killed. Few hours later, one of the survivor died from his injuries. On board the PL-5, two people were killed and two others were injured.
Probable cause:
The collision was the consequence of a series of omissions, errors and violations on part of both crews who failed to follow the published procedures, starting a landing manoeuvre and a take off manoeuvre without any clearance. Poor flight supervision and organisation by the airport authority was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 near Verkhnii-Naur: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L167
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Baku – Grozny – Moscow
MSN:
168
YOM:
1933
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1404
Aircraft flight cycles:
1103
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Tbilisi to Moscow for maintenance purposes. The crew made a technical stop in Baku then continued to Grozny. On approach to Grozny, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. After 15-20 in such conditions, ice started to accumulate on the aircraft and several instruments such as the horizon, the gyrocompas and the speed indicator failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field located about 30 km northwest of Grozny. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were seriously injured. The mechanic died from his injuries two days later.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain while cruising in fogy conditions. It was determined that the crew departed Baku Airport without any weather bulletin for Grozny.