Tuesday, June 9, 2015

1 CREW MEMBER MISSING, SEVERAL OTHERS INJURED AFTER ONE OF THE ENGINES OF THE RUSSIAN STRATEGIC BOMBER TU- 95 CAUGHT FIRE DURING TAKEOFF





Strategic bomber Tu- 95MS bombers carried out launches of cruise missiles on range in Kamchatka



June 9, 2015

MOSCOW, RUSSIA

Strategic bomber Tu- 95 was rolled out in the Amur region beyond the runway because of a burning engine , the press service of the Defense Ministry reported.

"Around 17:00 MSK during routine training flights at the airfield Ukrainka in the Amur region during acceleration, the Tu- 95 skidded off the runway.  The aircraft was on training mission and did not have ammunition. According to preliminary information, the cause of the accident was fire/explosion in one of the engines in the left wing"- the ministry said .  One of the engines caught fire and turboprop bomber weighing tens of tons spun 180 degrees.

Other sources also confirmed that during take-off the ignition of one of the engines located on the left wing, after which the aircraft spun around 180 degrees. After a while, the flames engulfed the entire aircraft - said the source.  According to him, because of the fire to the aircraft, it is impossible to approach.  In this regard, one of the crew is still not found, while several others have been recovered and are hospitalized.


The Defense Ministry specified that " based on the report from the scene , several crew members received injuries of varying severity and were hospitalized."

"Airport emergency services work at the place of the incident," - said the press service of the Ministry.

Flight of the Tu -95 suspended

The flights of strategic bombers Tu- 95 suspended until the reasons of the accident are determined, the press service of the Defense Ministry.
" Decision -chief of the Air Force during the investigation of aviation incident, all flights of Tu- 95 suspended " , - the ministry said .

Commission of Inquiry into the accident went to the Amur region. " In order to establish the causes and circumstances of the incident on the aircraft airfield Ukrainka ubyla Commission of the High Command of the Air Force went to the region of the accident" - the ministry said.

On the strategic aviation of the Russian Federation

Historic countdown strategic aviation is from December 23 , 1914, when the Russian army was formed first in Russia and the world with heavy bombers - a squadron of airships " Ilya Muromets " . Later it was used in the First World War.

Over the years the long-range aviation several times changed its name - Army special forces, long-range air force high command, AFLRO ( ADD ) . During the Great Patriotic War of long-range aviation has made about 215 thousand aircraft sorties and dropped on enemy troops and facilities more than 2.5 million bombs.

Currently, long-range aviation is a component of the strategic nuclear forces of Russia. Intended for use against military targets deep behind enemy lines, on a continental and oceanic theater of operations, as well as for the conduct of operational and strategic air reconnaissance.  They consist of weatherproof and long-range strategic bombers and missile carriers Tu-160 , Tu-95MS and Tu- 22M3 , which are carrying missiles and bombs of different purposes , including nuclear warheads .

Strategic bombers operate scheduled flights to the regions of the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific oceans, the waters of the Black Sea coast and along the state borders of the Commonwealth of Independent States.




Date:
08-JUN-2015
Time:
17:00
Type:
Owner/operator:
Russian Air Force
Registration:

C/n / msn:

Fatalities:
Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:
0
Airplane damage:
Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:
Ukrainka, Amurskaya oblast - http://aviation-safety.net/database/country/flags_15/RA.gif  Russia
Phase:
Take off
Nature:
Military
Departure airport:
Ukrainka (air base)
Destination airport:
Ukrainka (air base)
Narrative:
The engine of the plane caught fire on takeoff. The plane skidded off the runway. Several crew members were injured, one crew member died according to the Russian military.
Sources: