Crash of a Douglas C-47B-45-DK near Magadan: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1948 at 1840 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1073
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – Magadan
MSN:
17054/34321
YOM:
8
Location:
Magadan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
1691
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky-Yelizovo Airport, the crew started the descent to Magadan in poor weather conditions. During the final approach, at a distance of 13 km from the runway threshold, the captain was unable to locate the runway and decided to descend to 500 meters, the decision altitude. Unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, he decided to abandon the approach, started a go around and diverted to the Seymchan Airport located some 350 km north of Magadan. Few minutes later, while cruising in poor visibility, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Marchekanskaya (707 meters high). A passenger was seriously injured while eight other occupants were killed. It appears the aircraft hit the mountain 70 meters below the summit.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of a controlled flight into terrain in poor visibility due to low ceiling. It was reported that, at the time of the accident, the person in charge to transmit weather information to the crew and based at the airport of Magadan was intoxicated.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP in Ust-Bolsheretsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1939 at 1632 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2295
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – Ust-Bolsheretsk
MSN:
10189
YOM:
1937
Location:
Ust-Bolsheretsk
Kamchatka 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:
313
Circumstances:
During the day, the pilot already performed twice the flight between Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Ust-Bolsheretsk. After passing over Apacha, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility dropped to zero due to heavy snow falls. Nevertheless, the pilot attempted to land at Ust-Bolsheretsk and continued the approach when he lost control of the airplane that crashed six km east of the destination airfield. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The decision of the pilot to initiate an approach in below-minima weather conditions. Lack of discipline on part of the pilot and his failure to return in time were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Putilov Stal-2 into the Lake Baikal: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Putilov Stal-2
Operator:
Registration:
URSS-7
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Moscow – Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Location:
Lake Baikal
All Russia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Moscow on a test flight to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. En route, weather conditions worsened with heavy snow falls and icing conditions. The aircraft lost altitude and crashed into the Lake Baikal. One occupant survived and the second was killed.
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