Date & Time: Apr 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1732
Flight Phase:
Flight
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ashgabat - Ashgabat
MSN:
9486
YOM:
1935
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
3546
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Ashgabat Airport to collect meteorological data. While flying in poor weather conditions, he lost control of the airplane that crashed on the slope of Mt Gora Markou (1,530 metres high) located about 25 km west of Ashgabat. As the airplane failed to return to base, SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was found a week later, on April 25, some 20-30 metres below the summit of the mountain. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the pilot lost control of the airplane after he encountered very bad weather conditions with clouds and atmospheric turbulences.