3 crew members dead as Russian military plane crashes

In this March 30. 2019 photo, Russian military transport plane Ilyushin Il-112V conducts its first flight in Voronezh, Russia. (PHOTO PROVIDED BY ILYUSHIN AVIATION COMPLEX)

MOSCOW – The only flight prototype of Russia's new Il-112V light military transport aircraft crashed in the Moscow region on Tuesday, killing all three crew members.

The turboprop plane hit the ground when landing at the Kubinka airfield near Moscow, its producer the United Aircraft Corporation confirmed.

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Before the crash, the right engine caught fire and the plane tilted to the starboard side, losing speed and turning over, TASS news agency reported, adding that the aircraft was completely destroyed in a blaze on the ground.

An internal commission has been established to investigate the accident.

The Il-112V, which is being developed to replace the Soviet An-24 and An-26 planes, made its maiden flight in March 2019.

Last week, the only flight model of the Il-112V arrived from the Voronezh region to Zhukovsky near Moscow to prepare for participation in the Army-2021 International Military-Technical Forum. 

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