Kharkiv | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed Moscow at 0605LT on a cargo flight to Mineralnye Vody with an intermediate stop in Kharkiv, carrying three crew members. The pilot continued at an altitude of 300 metres and at a speed of 290 km/h when weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds and rain falls. Without any radio contact with the ground to obtain a weather briefing, the crew continued to the south and passed over Tula at 0653LT. Shortly later, the crew encountered foggy conditions and was unable to locate his position so the captain decided to return. Flying to low in fog, the airplane impacted trees at a speed of 220 km/h and crashed into a ravine. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the decision of the pilot to continue in poor visibility. His decision to return was taken too late and he was flying at an unsafe altitude. At the time of the accident, one of the engine was not functioning for reason that could not be determined, the propeller was windmilling at impact. Nevertheless, this was not considered was a contributing factor.

Crash of a Kalinin K-5 in Kharkiv: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Kalinin K-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L561

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Moscow – Orel – Kharkiv

MSN:

YOM:

1930

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2291

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Moscow to Kharkiv with an intermediate stop in Orel, carrying two crew members and a load consisting of 52 metal plates for a total weight of 499 kg. On approach to Kharkiv Airport, the visibility was poor due to fog. The crew continued the descent when, at a distance of four km west from the airfield, the airplane collided with the 60 metres high chimney of a brickyard. The airplane rolled to the right and descended to the ground, bursting into flames. The female copilot was killed and the captain was seriously injured. He died an hour later from injuries sustained.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The crew decided to continue the approach while the visibility was poor due to fog,
- Negligence on part of the employees of the Kharkov meteorological service which resulted in their inability to issue timely bulletins concerning the current weather conditions at destination.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Drachevka

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1538

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kharkiv – Moscow

MSN:

8064

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Kharkiv on a mail flight to Moscow, carrying one pilot and a load of 400 kg of mail. About 50 minutes into the flight, the engine started to vibrate. A smell of fuel spread in the cabin and the engine caught fire. The pilot bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in an open field. The pilot was burned to his legs and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the engine caught fire after a fuel line ruptured in flight, causing the fuel to spill and to ignite while in contact with high temperature components. The line in question had already been repaired but the hose that had been placed to seal the line failed because it was corroded by the fuel.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Arsen'evo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1935 at 0340 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1902

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Kharkiv

MSN:

9563

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

478

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Moscow Airport at 2305LT on September 26, one hour beyond the schedule ETD, on a night mail flight to Kharkiv. While cruising at night between the cities of Tula and Orel, the pilot lost his bearings because the light beacon was not functioning. It was later determined that the light beacons between Tula and Orel were out of service after midnight. After more than four hours of flight, the pilot attempted an emergency landing when he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located in Arsen'evo. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a loss of control while flying at night without sufficient visual cues. The operations cleared the pilot to complete the flight while the light beacons were unserviceable on the leg from Tula to Orel. Also, the pilot was totally inexperienced in night flight which was considered as contributing factors.

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:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Kharkiv

MSN:

5684

YOM:

1932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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 Kalinin K-7 in Kharkiv: 15 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1933

Type of aircraft:

Kalinin K-7

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Kharkiv - Kharkiv

MSN:

YOM:

1933

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight cycles:

Circumstances:

This first prototype was built last August 11, and successfully completed seven sorties. While performing a test flight over the area of the Kharkiv Airport with 20 engineers and pilots on board, the pilot-in-command lost control of the heavy bomber that crashed in a field. Fifteen occupants were killed and five others were injured. Aircraft was destroyed and the project was abandoned.

Probable cause:

It seems that the loss of control was caused by a structural failure on one of both tails but this was never confirmed. Ukrainian authorities did not rule out the possibility of an act of sabotage.

Crash of a Kalinin K-5 in Moscow: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1933 at 0855 LT

Type of aircraft:

Kalinin K-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L455

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Kharkiv

MSN:

210

YOM:

1932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

339

Circumstances:

The crew departed Moscow at 0815LT on a mail flight to Kharkiv. Approaching Podolsk, weather conditions deteriorated and the captain decided to return to Moscow. But on approach, weather conditions were also poor in Moscow and the visibility was very limited due to fog. On approach, at a height of about 110-120 metres, the airplane collided with an antenna, causing the right wing to be partially torn off. Out of control, the aircraft descended and crashed 65 metres further. Both crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The immediate cause of the accident was the strong deterioration of the weather conditions in Moscow. The aircraft was flying low with stabilizers in a neutral position, confirming it was apparently in a flat attitude. There were no radio in the aircraft and the antenna was not equipped with lights, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Dornier Do B Merkur in Sukhumi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1929 at 1347 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier Do B Merkur

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-211

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Sukhumi - Kharkiv

MSN:

100

YOM:

1926

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

675

Circumstances:

Last July 14, the aircraft suffered an incident while taking off from Sukhumi Airport after the undercarriage impacted a fence. The airplane was repaired and a series of test was completed before the aircraft would be released for service. At 1337LT, the crew departed Sukhumi Airport on a positioning flight to Kharkiv but encountered engine problems shortly after takeoff. The captain decided to return but on short final, at a height of 80 metres, he initiated a go-around when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a street located about 350 metres from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the airplane stalled from a height of about 80 metres while making a sharp turn at low speed. It is believed that the engine partially failed after takeoff, probably because the radiator was not properly repaired.

Crash of a Kalinin K-4 off Sukhumi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1929

Type of aircraft:

Kalinin K-4

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-219

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Sukhumi – Kharkiv

MSN:

110

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff, during initial climb, one of the engine failed. The crew decided to return to Sukhumi and while completing a last turn, he lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in the sea. Both crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb.

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