Fuselage and engines of crashed aircraft Tu-142 found in Tatarskiy Strait

25.12.2009
On Friday rescuers started operation on picking up fuselage, engines and other large fragments of Pacific Fleet's ASW aircraft Tu-142M3 crashed in Tatarskiy Strait early December, informs RIA Novosti referring to PF press service.

The search is performed day and night; the blackboxes and bodies of aircrew will probably be found inside the aircraft wreckage, added the source.

According to the source, SR equipment detected over thousand objects on the sea bottom; for example, ship wreckage, big metal pieces, tires. Fishery and active shipping are carried out at the search area for many years. Every unidentified object will be studied ashore and at the sea bottom.

Pacific Fleet's aircraft Tu-142M3 performing training mission over Khabarovsky Krai on Nov 6, disappeared from radars at 02:19 pm Moscow time and fell down in Tatarskiy Strait near Cape Sadinga north Silantyev Bay. There were 11 men on board the aircraft. PF Military Investigative Department initiated a criminal case on the basis of clause 351 of RF Criminal Code ("Violation of flight rules and pre-flight instructions"). Investigation board of Ministry of Defense considers three main causes of the accident: equipment failure, human factor and bird strike. Wives of aircrew are subsidized by PF fund. They will probably obtain comfortable dwelling in the cities they want to live in.

Tu-142 (on NATO classification – Bear-F) is a long-range ASW aircraft commissioned in Navy in 1971. Designed in 1968 for search, detection and destruction of enemy's submarines, it is based on long-range bomber Tu-95RTs. First modernized Tu-142M3 was produced in 1975, the last one – in 1994. Comparing with basic Tu-142, distinctive features of M3 variant are improved engines NK-12MP, Zarechye radiohydroacoustic subsystem, coupled gun mount with sighting post and few constructional upgrades including upgraded cockpit design and pods for UPLAB drill bombs, UMGT-1 torpedoes and APR-2 missiles instead of AT-2M torpedoes.

TU-142M3 PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Wingspan – 50.04 m
Length – 53.07 m
Height – 14.47 m
Wing area – 289.90 sq m
Empty weight – 91,800 kg
Maximum takeoff weight – 185,000 kg
Engine type – 4 TVD NK-12MP (MV)
Engine thrust – 4 x 15,000 kgf
Peak speed – 800 kph
Course speed – 705 kph
Patrol speed – 450 kph
Operational range – 10,050 km
Operational radius of action – 6,500 km
Operating ceiling – 13,500 m
Crew – 10
Armament: two 23-mm guns GSh-23 with sighting post of Tu-22M2 aircraft
Combat load: 8,845 kg in two weapons sections

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: Tu-142M3 (Petr Volek, airliners.net)