On September 6, 1946, a Junkers JU.52 (registration CCCP-L35) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Darvaza, Turkmenistan during landing or approach. 6 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crash resulted from the failure of the left elevator due to broken bolts caused by faulty maintenance, compounded by an incorrect reaction from the crew. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 7 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A cargo plane crashed into a desert area one kilometer short of the runway at Darvaza Airport after stalling on final approach, killing all six people on board.
What happened
The incident involved a cargo flight operating from Ashgabat to Darvaza. The aircraft was transporting various goods with a total payload weight of 2,400 kilograms. During the final approach phase to Darvaza Airport, the plane experienced a high nose attitude and subsequently stalled. It impacted the ground in a desert area located one kilometer before the runway threshold. The impact resulted in the destruction of the airframe and the deaths of all six occupants.
Findings
Investigations identified that the left elevator failed during the final approach. This mechanical failure was attributed to the breakage of several bolts situated on the inner part of the elevator assembly. The root cause of this structural issue was determined to be faulty maintenance performed by company technicians. Additionally, the response of the crew to the developing situation was cited as a contributory factor in the accident.
Probable cause
The crash resulted from the failure of the left elevator due to broken bolts caused by faulty maintenance, compounded by an incorrect reaction from the crew.
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