User:RandomGuy3114/sandbox

The 1942 Aeroflot ANT-20bis crash happened on 14 December 1942 when the Tupolev ANT-20bis, while operating a route from Türkmenabat Airport to Tashkent Airport, crashed near Türkmenabat after entering a steep dive, killing all 36 occupants on board. The investigation determined the cause to be a passenger, who was given control of the aircraft by the pilot, accidentally disconnecting the autopilot.

Aircraft
The accident aircraft was a Tupolev PS-124 (Passazhirsky Samolyot 124), also called the ANT-20bis. It had either 272 or 698 flight hours, being manufactured in 1938. The ANT-20bis was a sucessor of the former ANT-20 Maxim Gorky, which crashed in 1935 following a mid-air collision.

Accident
On 14 December 1942, the ANT-20bis, performing a scheduled flight, took off from Türkmenabat for a flight to Tashkent. There were 36 occupants on the aircraft (six crew members; 30 passengers). Two hours and ten minutes after taking off, the aircraft plunged towards the ground at a steep angle of about 80°. The accident killed all of the 36 on board.