An An-26 military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces crashed in Crimea during a scheduled flight. Communication with the aircraft was lost on the evening of March 31, and its wreckage was later found in a mountainous area. Preliminary reports indicate that the plane crashed into a rock.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, all those on board died — six crew members and 23 passengers. The preliminary cause is a technical malfunction.
The ministry separately emphasized that there was "no external impact" on the An-26. A special commission has begun investigating the circumstances of the disaster.
As a rule, it examines the technical condition of the aircraft, data from flight recorders, and the actions of the crew.
About the An-26
The An-26 is a Soviet military transport aircraft developed in the late 1960s based on the An-24 passenger aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with two turboprop engines and can carry up to 5.5 tons of cargo or up to 40 people.
The maximum flight range is about 2.5 thousand kilometers. The cruising speed is about 440–450 km/h.
It is unknown exactly how many An-26 units are still in service with the military.
