Ashgabat – Chardzhou – Alma Ata

On the leg from Ashgabat to Chardzhou (now Türkmenabat) of a positioning flight from Ashgabat to Alma Ata for overhaul by ARM-405 when the right engine failed near Repetek. The pilot decided to go around on landing at Chardzhou as he was unable to make out the landing T, being blinded by flying against the sun, the aircraft lost height and speed while flying a left turn. The pilot did not cope with the situation so the aircraft collided with an irrigation canal and trees 4 km from the airfield, lost its landing gear, flaps and ailerons and crash landed. Both outer engines broke of. All seven occupants were unhurt.

Flight / Schedule

Ashgabat – Chardzhou – Alma Ata

Aircraft

Junkers JU.52

Registration

CCCP-L41

MSN

5457

Year of Manufacture

0

Date

March 15, 1945 at 05:15 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Ferry

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Chardzhou Lebap Province (Lebap welaýaty)

Region

Asia • Turkmenistan

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On March 15, 1945 at 05:15 PM, Ashgabat – Chardzhou – Alma Ata experienced a crash involving Junkers JU.52, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, with the event recorded near Chardzhou Lebap Province (Lebap welaýaty).

The flight was categorized as ferry and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 7 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. On the leg from Ashgabat to Chardzhou (now Türkmenabat) of a positioning flight from Ashgabat to Alma Ata for overhaul by ARM-405 when the right engine failed near Repetek. The pilot decided to go around on landing at Chardzhou as he was unable to make out the landing T, being blinded by flying against the sun, the aircraft lost height and speed while flying a left turn. The pilot did not cope with the situation so the aircraft collided with an irrigation canal and trees 4 km from the airfield, lost its landing gear, flaps and ailerons and crash landed. Both outer engines broke of. All seven occupants were unhurt.

Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-L41, MSN 5457, year of manufacture 0.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

On the leg from Ashgabat to Chardzhou (now Türkmenabat) of a positioning flight from Ashgabat to Alma Ata for overhaul by ARM-405 when the right engine failed near Repetek. The pilot decided to go around on landing at Chardzhou as he was unable to make out the landing T, being blinded by flying against the sun, the aircraft lost height and speed while flying a left turn. The pilot did not cope with the situation so the aircraft collided with an irrigation canal and trees 4 km from the airfield, lost its landing gear, flaps and ailerons and crash landed. Both outer engines broke of. All seven occupants were unhurt.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

4

Passengers On Board

3

Estimated Survivors

7

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 7

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Ashgabat – Chardzhou – Alma Ata

Flight Type

Ferry

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

Asia • Turkmenistan

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Junkers JU.52

Registration

CCCP-L41

MSN

5457

Year of Manufacture

0

Similar Plane Crashes

May 26, 1931 at 12:00 AM

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Tupolev ANT-9

Crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a flight from Moscow to Sverdlovsk. Occupant fate unknown.

February 23, 1932 at 03:00 PM16 Fatalities

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Junkers G.24

The airplane departed Okha on a flight to Khabarovsk with intermediate stops in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur and Nijnetambovskoye. While descending to Nijnetambovskoye, the pilot encountered marginal weather conditions. Because the visibility was limited, he reduced his altitude to minimum. On final approach, at a height of 50 metres, the right wing failed and detached. The airplane nosed down and crashed in a pasture. All 16 occupants were killed.

May 10, 1932 at 09:50 AM4 Fatalities

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Tupolev ANT-9

The three engine airplane departed Moscow-Frunze Central Aerodrome in the morning on a local test flight, carrying nine passengers including one child and two crew members, one mechanic and one pilot. While cruising at an altitude of 900 metres, the mechanic informed the pilot about an oil leak below the right engine cowling. The pilot reduced his altitude and decided to divert to the Moscow-Oktyabrskoye Airfield. On final approach, at a height of 125 metres and at a speed of 120 km/h with both central and left engine at full power, the aircraft rolled to the right, stalled and crashed in a wooded area. The pilot and three passengers were killed while seven other occupants were injured.

October 27, 1932 at 04:30 PM5 Fatalities

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Savoia-Marchetti SM.62

The airplane departed Irkutsk on a cargo flight to Bodaibo, carrying four passengers and a crew of three. While cruising some 40 km from Kirensk, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to heavy snow falls. The captain reduced his altitude, apparently to maintain a visual contact with the ground. At a height of about 20-30 metres, the airplane went out of control and crashed in the Lena River near the village of Kulebyakino, some 15 km southwest of Kirensk. Two passengers were injured while five other occupants were killed.

February 8, 1933 at 09:30 AM4 Fatalities

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Kalinin K-5

The aircraft departed Baku on a regular service to Tiflis (Tbilisi), carrying three passengers and two crew members. En route to Ganzhda and Yevlakh, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He reduced his altitude in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground and followed the railway line. Approaching Göyçay, at a height below 30 metres, he realized he was facing trees so he initiated a sharp turn to the right when the aircraft impacted poplar trees. The right wing was partially torn off and the aircraft crashed. A female passenger was injured while four other occupants were killed.

February 13, 1933 at 08:55 AM2 Fatalities

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

Kalinin K-5

The crew departed Moscow at 0815LT on a mail flight to Kharkiv. Approaching Podolsk, weather conditions deteriorated and the captain decided to return to Moscow. But on approach, weather conditions were also poor in Moscow and the visibility was very limited due to fog. On approach, at a height of about 110-120 metres, the airplane collided with an antenna, causing the right wing to be partially torn off. Out of control, the aircraft descended and crashed 65 metres further. Both crew members were killed.