2018 Russian Air Force Antonov An-26 crash

On 6 March 2018 an Antonov An-26 transport aircraft crashed on approach to Khmeimim air base in Syria, killing all 39 people on board. All of them were servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces,[1] including Major-General Vladimir Yeremeyev.[2]

A Russian Air Force Antonov An-26 similar to the one involved
Accident
Date6 March 2018 (2018-03-06)
SummaryWindshear leading to subsequent loss of control
Sitenear Khmeimim Air Base, Syria
Aircraft
Aircraft typeAntonov An-26
OperatorRussian Air Force
RegistrationRF-92955
Flight originKuweires air base, Syria
DestinationKhmeimim air base, Syria
Occupants39
Passengers33
Crew6
Fatalities39
Survivors0

Aircraft

The accident aircraft was an Antonov An-26, registration RF-92955, msn 10107. It had first flown in 1980.[3] This accident is the fifteenth An-26 fatal crash in this decade with a total of 159 deaths, none of these flights were scheduled passenger airline operations.[4]

Crash

At about 14:00 local time (12:00 UTC) the Russian Antonov An-26 went down about 500 metres (1,640 ft) from the runway.[5] The preliminary cause was attributed to technical malfunction.[5] Based on reports from the location, the Russian Ministry of Defense ruled out the possibility that it was shot down.[6] The Investigative Committee of Russia and the Russian Military Prosecutor's Office opened criminal cases concerning the crash.

The Islamic militant group Jaysh al-Islam later claimed the responsibility for the crash; according to Ad-Diyar, five militants shot at the aircraft with heavy machine guns when it was 100 m from the ground.[7] It was suggested that the claim might be false, as the group has made opportunistic claims in the past, as have some other groups.[8]

Cause

The aircraft flew on final approach with a tail wind and was caught by windshear on final. It banked, lost height and crashed some 500 metres before the runway threshold.[9]

See also

References
  1. "В Минобороны РФ уточнили число погибших в авиакатастрофе Ан-26 в Сирии" (in Russian). Zvezda. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  2. "The Latest: UN official says Syria claims 'ridiculous'". Washington Post. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  3. "RF-92955 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  4. Ranter, Harro. "Aviation Safety Network > ASN Aviation Safety Database > Type index > ASN Aviation Safety Database results". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  5. "Russian plane crash in Syria 'kills 32'". BBC. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  6. "Более тридцати человек погибли при крушении российского Ан-26 в Сирии" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  7. "Исламисты взяли ответственность за падение Ан-26 в Сирии" (in Russian). Lenta.ru. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  8. "Сирийская группировка заявила, что сбила Ан-26 у Хмеймима". Moskovsky Komsomolets (in Russian). Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  9. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Antonov An-26 RF-92955/52 Latakia-Khmeimim Air Base (LTK)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
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