Country
Russia

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Kalinin

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-F95
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
9384
YOM:
1934
Location:
Tver
Tver oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying at low height, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near Kalinin (now Tver). The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to lack of discipline on part of the pilot.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Gomel: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Gomel
Gomel voblast
Country:
Belarus
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed 2 km from Gomel. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Bryansk

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-F165
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
7359
YOM:
1934
Location:
Bryansk
Bryansk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing somewhere near Bryansk. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Gosh

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2986
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
9380
YOM:
1934
Location:
Gosh
Tavush
Country:
Armenia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in the region of Gosh, some 74 km northeast of Yerevan. The pilot was rescued and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Mestia

Date & Time: May 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2988
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kutaisi - Mestia
MSN:
5777
YOM:
1932
Location:
Mestia
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an error on part of the pilot, the airplane crashed upon landing at Mestia Airport. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 off Khoe: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1941 at 1409 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1679
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski – Khabarovsk
YOM:
1935
Location:
Khoe
Sakhalin oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
563
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski on a flight to Khabarovsk, carrying two passengers, one pilot and a load of 75 kg of mail. About 14 minutes into the flight, the pilot entered an area of fog. As the visibility was poor, he reduced his altitude and descended relatively fast when he lost control of the airplane that crashed on the icy Tatar Strait, about 3 km off the village of Khoe. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot made the decision to continue the flight in difficult weather conditions, which probably exacerbated the nervous tension and the illness from which he suffered. It is likely that he lost consciousness as he began the steep descent, due to the fact that he was suffering from chronic sclerotic inflammation of the meninges, which could lead to epileptic seizures with loss of consciousness. He had lost consciousness in 1940 at Okha Airport.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Kokpekty: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1622
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Zaysan – Kokpekty – Semipalatinsk
MSN:
9196
YOM:
1934
Location:
Kokpekty
East Kazakhstan
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Kokpekty without any information about weather conditions. Few minutes after takeoff, he entered an area of snow falls and his decision to fly back was taken too late. While approaching Kokpekty at an insufficient altitude, he saw a hill and initiated a turn when the airplane crashed. The pilot was seriously injured and both passengers were killed.
Probable cause:
The decision of the pilot to leave Kokpekty without accurate weather information and later to fly at a too low altitude in poor visibility.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Tbilisi

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1560
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tbilisi - Tbilisi
MSN:
8474
YOM:
1934
Location:
Tbilisi
Tbilisi City District
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Georgia and the Director of the Airport of Tbilisi departed Tbilisi that day on a P-5 to proceed to the north to try to locate a Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40) that was missing since September 23. After takeoff, the airplane entered clouds and after few minutes, the pilot was able to climb and to continue over the cloud layer. Nevertheless, all surrounding mountains were shrouded in clouds so the pilot decided to return to Tbilisi. While descending through clouds, the pilot lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area near the airport. Both occupants were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to check the weather conditions prior to departure.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Novosibirsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1938 at 0315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1900
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Novosibirsk – Omsk
MSN:
9548
YOM:
1935
Location:
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
2269
Circumstances:
During the flight preparation, the pilot was informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions en route. Nevertheless, he took off from Novosibirsk Airport at 0310LT on a cargo flight to Omsk. The aircraft was also carrying a load of 184 kg of camphor. Immediately after takeoff, the airplane entered clouds and fog. The pilot continued for about five minutes when the airplane crashed in a wooded area located 7 km north of the airport. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot was not sufficiently trained and the aircraft was not equipped for a night IFR flight. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to low clouds and fog. The pilot probably lost control of the airplane after becoming disoriented.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Yerevan

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1950
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Yerevan - Abaryan
MSN:
4609
YOM:
1932
Location:
Yerevan
Yerevan
Country:
Armenia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was completing a mail flight from Yerevan to Abaryan, carrying one mechanic, one pilot and a load of 119 kg of mail. Ten minutes after takeoff, while flying at an insufficient height, the airplane impacted the snow covered ground, overturned and crashed. Both occupants were injured and the airplane was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot continued the flight at an unsafe altitude, due to poor judgment of the distance between the aircraft and the ground.
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