Tashkent

The six engine airplane departed Urganch on a flight to Tashkent with an intermediate stop in Chardzhou, Turkmenistan. On board were 26 passengers and a crew of 10. While cruising at an altitude of 500 metres in relative good weather conditions, the airplane pitched down then entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed at an angle of 80° in a huge explosion near Sirdarya, some 86 km southwest of Tashkent Airport. The airplane was destroyed and all 36 occupants were killed.

After a course of about 450 metres on takeoff, the pilot initiated the rotation. The airplane climbed to a height of about 3-5 metres, flew for about 250-300 metres then stalled. The left wing and the left engine impacted the ground and the airplane crash landed, bursting into flames. All crew members evacuated, among them one was injured. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.

The crew was in charge to transfer the airplane to its new base in Semipalatinsk and departed Tashkent Airport at 0625LT. En route stops were scheduled in Frunze (Bishkek) and Alma-Ata. About 40 minutes after departure, weather conditions deteriorated on the east part of Uzbekistan with a sand storm. As the airplane failed to arrive in Frunze, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended as no trace of the airplane was found. The wreckage was eventually found in 1943 at an altitude of 2,501 metres, on the Karzhantau Mountain Range, some 65 km northeast of Tashkent. The airplane impacted the slope of the mountain about 100 metres below the summit and was partially destroyed by a post crash fire. All three crew members were killed.

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 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 crew was performing a cargo flight from Tashkent to Fergana, carrying a load of three tons of jam, clothes, leather goods and wooden boot-block for a total weight of 3,339 kilos. While cruising at an altitude between 200 and 250 metres, the airplane encountered heavy winds and turbulence, descended to a height of 90 metres then became uncontrollable and crashed 6 km north of Bekobod. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.

En route from Tashkent to Kabul, the crew got lost and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed near Parachinar, bursting into flames. Both occupants were rescued and the aircraft was destroyed. The Russian crew was supposed to deliver the airplane to the Afghan Government in Kabul.