An Antonov An-26 aircraft has crash landed during a flight training mission, Russia’s Defense Ministry has confirmed.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, “the aircraft failed to maintain the parameters of descent during the final approach and went below the glide path.”
“Six crew were on board the plane, which caught fire after the crash landing. One serviceman died and five crew members were evacuated to the hospital by rescue helicopter.”
The Antonov An-26, which NATO calls ‘Curl’, is a twin-engine, turboprop cargo plane designed and built in the USSR. It is still used by the Russian military to transport combat vehicles and personnel. The An-26 is capable of carrying up to 24 tons of cargo and up to 38 troops at a speed of 500 kilometers per hour.