Country
Russia

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in SP-2 Polar Station

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-N359
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
23441901
Location:
SP-2 Polar Station
All Antarctica
Country:
Antarctica
Region:
Antarctica
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taking off, the aircraft hit ice hummocks with its right wing and crashed. The occupant fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Seymchan: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1950 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-H955
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pevek – Zyrianka
MSN:
5908
YOM:
30
Location:
Seymchan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
706
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Pevek to Zyrianka, carrying a crankshaft and others spare parts for an LM-3 locomotive for a total weight of 1,000 kilos. The airplane left Pevek at 0410LT bound for Zyrianka but upon arrival, the crew was informed by ground that the airport was closed to traffic and has to divert to Seymchan Airport. The pilot modified his route to Seymchan but did not receive any information about weather conditions at destination. After continuing at an altitude of 3,300 meters, the crew encountered poor weather upon arrival in Seymchan and was unable to locate the airport. After an unsuccessful attempt to land, the crew continued to the north and was eventually forced to make an emergency landing as the aircraft was short of fuel. The airplane crashed in a rocky canyon located 72 km northwest of Seymchan and was destroyed upon impact. All five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The visibility was less than 100 meters at the time of the accident due to snow falls,
- The copilot was inexperienced,
- Wrong decision in diverting the aircraft to Seymchan without knowing the weather conditions at destination (uncertain situation),
- The total rest time of the crew was insufficient,
- Lack of assistance by ground services upon arrival in Seymchan,
- Wrong decision on part of the Zyrianka Airport Authorities which decided to close the airfield to all trafic because the runway was flooded. Investigations revealed that this was not the case and this decision was taken in rush. When the aircraft approached Zyrianka, the airfield was practicable with a 1,000 meters long runway.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Verkhnaya Salda

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-I530
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
184 77 10
YOM:
1943
Location:
Verkhnyaya Salda
Sverdlovsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
3121
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight for the Ministry of Industry and Aviation (MAP – Ministerstvo Aviatsionnoi Promyshlennosti or Minaviaprom). En route, the crew was forced to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing in a field for unknown reason. While there were no injuries, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Sverdlovsk: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
42 red
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow – Kazan – Chelyabinsk
Location:
Sverdlovsk
Sverdlovsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Moscow to Chelyabinsk, carrying a crew of six and 13 members of the ice hockey team of the VVS Moscow (Ice Hockey Branch of the Army) who should play against the Dzerzhinsky club of Chelyabinsk. Upon arrival in Chelyabinsk, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and as it was not possible to land, the captain decided to divert to Sverdlovsk. Unfortunately, while approaching Sverdlovsk, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to snow falls. Four times, the crew tried to land but was forced to go around. During the fifth attempt to land, the aircraft was too low and crashed in a field few hundred yards short of the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all 19 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2T in Poland

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LBA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
184 220 09
YOM:
1951
Location:
Poland
All Poland
Country:
Poland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed on an airport somewhere in Poland.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Sverdlovsk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1949 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4704
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow – Sverdlovsk – Omsk – Vladivostok
MSN:
184 313 04
YOM:
17
Location:
Sverdlovsk
Sverdlovsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
1194
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport, while climbing, the crew encountered severe icing conditions and the windshield went covered by ice. The pilot in command lost control of the aircraft that banked right and crashed right wing first in a field located 8,5 km southeast of the airport, near the Iset River. Two crew members and the passenger were killed while three other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The loss of control was the result of a series of mistakes on behalf of the crew who adopted poor flight techniques after departure. At the time of the accident, weather was marginal with severe icing conditions. It was stated that the crew was inexperienced, especially the copilot, which remains a contributing factor. The inefficiency of the windshield deicing system and a lack of crew training were also considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2P in Pécs: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1949 at 1034 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
HA-LIK
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Budaörs – Pécs
MSN:
184 275 01
YOM:
1951
Location:
Pécs
Baranya
Country:
Hungary
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Budaörs Airport (west of Budapest City) at 0934LT bound for Pécs-Pogány Airport with one passenger and a crew of six. At this time, the weather at destination was as follow: horizontal visibility 4 km with a ceiling at 320 meters. Upon arrival, these conditions worsened and the ceiling dropped to 240 meters. At 1028LT, the pilot started a visual approach and while at a height of 150 meters, he told ATC he did not need the ground transmitter that was switched off. Three minutes later, as he was unable to locate the runway, he started a go around and made a turn to the right. Shortly later, while flying in clouds, the airplane hit trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Jakab, few km from the airport. A crew member was seriously injured while six other occupants were killed.
Source & photos: http://www.li-2.hu/
Probable cause:
After he started the go around maneuver, it was reported that the pilot in command made a turn to the right which was against the published procedures that specified a turn to the left.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Naberezhnye Chelny: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4354
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leningrad – Yanaul – Kazan – Leningrad
Location:
Naberezhnye Chelny
Republic of Tatarstan
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route, the left engine failed. As this engine model was not equipped with a propeller feathering system, the airplane suffered high drag and the crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude. The aircraft lost height, hit tree tops and eventually crashed in a wooded area. Six occupants were injured while both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to follow the en route procedures and failed to switch the fuel selector on the appropriate tank. The left engine stopped because the fuel selector was connected to an empty tank, and the crew failed to switch the selector on a tank where there was sufficient fuel remaining.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Kirensk: 14 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1949 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4464
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Yakutsk – Kirensk
Location:
Kirensk
Irkutsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 1,300 meters in poor weather conditions, the crew started the descent to Kirensk despite the fact that he was unaware of his real position. While descending into clouds, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 117 km east of Kirensk. The wreckage was found few hours later and ten survivors (three crew members and seven passengers) were evacuated while 14 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It appears that the aircraft was off track by 70 km to the southeast at the time of the accident due to a navigational error on part of the crew. It was reported that this navigational error was caused by poor piloting methods on part of the crew who decided to start the descent to Kirensk without knowing his exact position. The lack of visibility due to clouds was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Mt Bel'-Aut: 11 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1949 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4335
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Leninabad – Samarkand – Stalinabad
MSN:
184 279 07
YOM:
1947
Location:
Mt Bel'-Aut
Surxondaryo Province (Surxondaryo viloyati)
Country:
Uzbekistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
1366
Circumstances:
En route, the crew was informed that weather conditions were poor in Samarkand and received the autorisation to fly directly to Stalinabad. The crew decided to change his route and while flying in cloudy conditions, the pilot in command mistook the Chakchar Mountain Range with the Kush-Tang Mountain Range and started the descent prematurely. At an altitude of 2,600 meters, the right wing hit a rocky peak and the aircraft crashed about 400 meters lower and came to rest at an altitude of 2,270 meters. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 11 occupants was found. On May 8, 1949, the wreckage was found on the slope of Mt Bel'-Aut located in a mountain range of the Surxondaryo province in east Uzbekistan.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew cut the route and then followed a wrong track after he mistook two mountain ranges. As the descent was started prematurely, the aircraft was flying at an insufficient altitude at the time of the accident. Poor visibility due to clouds was considered as a contributory factor, as well as wrong decisions on part of the flight operations, lack of discipline on part of the flying crew, lack of organization and communication between the crew and the operations and inappropriate information regarding the weather forecast (information transmitted to the crew had expired).
Subscribe to Lisunov LI-2