Crash of a Lockheed 14H Super Electra near Gӑinești: 14 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 22, 1938 at 1738 LT
Operator:
Registration:
SP-BNG
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Warsaw – Lviv – Chernivtsi – Bucharest – Thessaloniki – Athens
MSN:
1432
YOM:
1938
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
Less than 30 minutes after its departure from Chernivtsi Airport, while cruising over the region of Suceava, north part of Romania, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions. The twin engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent, dove into the ground and crashed in a hilly and wooded area located near the village of Gӑinești, some 35 km southwest of Suceava. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed, among them the Romanian composer and aviator Ionel Fernic.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Board that the accident was caused by lightning which struck the aircraft in flight. Strong turbulences should be a contributory factor.
