Russian prototype Il-112V aircraft crashes near Moscow

A prototype of Russia’s new Il-112V military transport aircraft crashed during a training flight in the Moscow region.

It is believed that the three crew members died as a result of the crash, however, there has not yet been an official statement from the company confirming this.

Rostec has created an internal commission to investigate the accident.

A video of the crash, released by the publication Baza, shows the plane’s right engine caught fire before control was lost and the plane hit the ground.

This tragic event follows the news of a Russian firefighting aircraft crashing in Turkey on 14 August, killing eight people. 

The Il-112V military transport aircraft was designed for the transportation and airborne landing of personnel, weapons and other cargoes with a maximum weight of five tonnes.

The aircraft is expected to replace the An-26. It has a cruising speed of 470km/h, while its flight range with maximum load is 1,200km.

According to Shephard Defence Insight, it is designed to carry 50 military passengers or 25 paratroopers and can operate from 600m landing strips and take off from 800m-long runways.