Country
Russia

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Tokmok: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1905
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Karakol – Frunze
MSN:
9467
YOM:
1935
Location:
Tokmok
Chuy Province
Country:
Kyrgyzstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
170
Aircraft flight cycles:
83
Circumstances:
In the morning, the pilot successfully completed a flight from Frunze to Karakol with two passengers and mail. In the early afternoon, he wanted to return to Frunze but weather conditions en route were not good. Hurry to return, he departed Karakol at 1300LT but the airplane failed to arrive in Frunze. The wreckage was found 35 km southeast of Tokmok, at an altitude of 2,800 metres, in the valley of Chon-Almaly. It was determined that the visibility was poor due to ceiling down to 1,000 metres and rain falls.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following the decision of the pilot to continue the flight in unfavorable weather conditions and restricted visibility. Instead of returning to Karakol, the pilot decided to find a route in the clouds until the airplane impacted ground. Poor flight organization was a contributing factor.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 on Mt Kazbek: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1935 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1734
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mineralnye Vody – Tiflis
MSN:
9502
YOM:
1935
Location:
Mt Kazbek
Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
184
Aircraft flight cycles:
143
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Mineralnye Vody on a mail flight to Tiflis, Georgia, with two crew members on board. After passing the Krestovy Pass, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The pilot elected to return to Mineralnye Vody and initiated a turn. Shortly later, he lost his orientation and thinking he already passed the highest mountain, he initiated the descent when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain part of the Mt Kazbek, about 7 km southeast of the summit (5,047 metres). The wreckage was found at an altitude of 4,000 metres and both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot got lost while cruising in reduced visibility due to foggy conditions and rain.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Ivanovka: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-Sh913
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Balashov - Saratov
MSN:
9070
YOM:
1934
Location:
Ivanovka
Saratov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
67
Aircraft flight cycles:
204
Circumstances:
The crew consisting of two cadets departed Balashov Airport on a training flight to Saratov. Prior to takeoff at 0900LT, the crew was instructed not to enter clouds and not flying below the minimum altitude of 300 metres. After takeoff from Balashov Airport, bound for the south, the aircraft entered clouds. The pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near the village of Ivanovka, some 20 km south of the Balashov Airport. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a loss of control while flying in clouds. The pilot, a cadet, was inexperienced in such flight conditions. Poor flight preparation and supervision.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1935 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1057
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sverdlovsk – Yanaul – Kazan – Moscow
MSN:
6259
YOM:
1933
Location:
Kazan
Republic of Tatarstan
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Sverdlovsk Airport on a mail/cargo flight to Moscow with intermediate stops in Yanaul and Kazan. After passing the night in Yanaul, he departed Yanaul bound for Kazan. Upon arrival, weather conditions worsened with limited visibility due to fog. At a height of about 70-80 metres on approach, the airplane collided with a 105 metres high radio antenna. The left fuel tank was punched and a fire erupted. The airplane continued for a distance of 200 metres then crashed in a field, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a collision at low altitude and in poor visibility with the mast of a radio antenna.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Marginal weather conditions at destination with 8-10 octas at 300-600 metres altitude, wind from the south at 15-25 km/h, fog with 500 metres visibility,
- The pilot was cleared for takeoff despite the weather conditions at destination were considered as poor,
- The pilot has not been informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions at destination,
- The pilot was freshly licensed, inexperienced and flew this route for the first time,
- The pilot descended below the minimum safe altitude of 100 metres.

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

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1522
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Guryev – Aktyubinsk
MSN:
8004
YOM:
1934
Location:
Aktyubinsk
Aktobe
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
323
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Guryev Airport around 1300-1400LT on a flight to Aktyubinsk, carrying one engineer and one pilot, violating several rules. En route, weather conditions worsened and the pilot encountered poor visibility (around 1 km) due to snow falls. While cruising over an oil field, he lost his bearings and failed to locate his position. He initiated a sharp turn to the right, apparently to return, when the airplane impacted ground and crashed. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a sharp turn at low height in poor weather conditions.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The pilot was cleared for takeoff despite the weather conditions en route were considered as poor,
- The pilot's licence was expired,
- The CofA was not on board,
- The temporary certificate was late for more than two months.

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

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1934 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L786
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Irkutsk – Krasnoyarsk
MSN:
5683
YOM:
1932
Location:
Kaduy
Irkutsk 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:
341
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Irkutsk at 1440LT on a mail flight to Krasnoyarsk. After passing over Nizhneudinsk, he encountered poor weather conditions with blizzard and heavy snow falls. He reduced his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground and elected to return to Nizhneudinsk. At a height of about 20 metres, the airplane impacted the top of a larch tree with its right wing, continued for about 50 metres then crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The accident resulted from an impact with trees while cruising at low altitude through poor visibility due to bad weather conditions. It was determined that the pilot was cleared to takeoff from Irkutsk despite the weather conditions en route were unfavorable. Also, the pilot was inexperienced in instrument flights.

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

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1934 at 0640 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1528
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mineralnye Vody – Armavir – Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
7952
YOM:
1934
Location:
Kushevka
Krasnodar Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
54
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Mineralnye Vody on a mail flight to Rostov with an intermediate stop in Armavir. Following technical problems and due to marginal weather conditions, the pilot was forced to pass the overnight in Armavir. The pilot departed Armavir at 0510LT bound for Rostov. While approaching Kuschevka, he encountered foggy conditions and decided to make a 180 turn. Doing so, and apparently while trying to establish a visual contact with the ground, the airplane lost height and crashed in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of an impact with the ground following a loss of altitude in reduced visibility due to fog.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The pilot made the decision to continue the flight through fog and did not make the decision early enough to turn back;
- A sudden formation of fog;
- The weather station of Kushevka had issued a timely warning bulletin but this was transferred too late to the airport of Armavir after being blocked for almost two hours at the telegraph office of Rostov.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Optukha: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1934 at 0115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L787
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow - Kharkiv
MSN:
5684
YOM:
1932
Location:
Optukha
Orel 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:
313
Aircraft flight cycles:
185
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Moscow at 2255LT on June 5 on a night mail flight to Kharkiv, carrying one pilot and a load of 728 kilos of mail. While cruising at a height of 50 metres over the valley of Oka, weather conditions deteriorated with heavy clouds, drizzle and low ceiling. After completing two turns, the pilot did not realize he lost too much altitude when the airplane impacted ground and crashed in a field located 5 km south of Optukha. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following an error of judgement on part of the pilot regarding the aircraft's altitude during a flight through difficult weather conditions. A poor flight planning was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Karatkansk: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1934 at 2020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1075
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Novosibirsk – Omsk
MSN:
6434
YOM:
1933
Location:
Karatkansk
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:
491
Aircraft flight cycles:
152
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Novosibirsk Airport at 1740LT on a mail flight to Omsk. After passing over Tatarsk, weather conditions worsened with low ceiling, heavy rain falls and strong winds up to 57 km/h. After entering clouds, the pilots lost his bearings and elected to return to Tatarsk but the local beacon was unserviceable due to poor weather conditions. The pilot turned several minutes and probably attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted ground and crashed in a field located 5 km south of the Karatkansk Station. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of an impact with the ground at high speed while the pilot had lost all bearings in an unfavorable environment.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The person in charge to provide weather bulletin prior to departure from Novosibirsk failed to transmit accurate weather reports to the pilot;
- The person in charge to provide same services en route (at the intermediate weather station) also failed to provide accurate information;
- The pilot took the decision to continue the flight through clouds and below the altitude of 200 metres.

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