Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK in Caucasus: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1947 at 0953 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L952
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Moscou-Vnoukovo
MSN:
14874/26319
YOM:
14
Flight number:
SU034
Location:
Georgia
All Georgia
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Aircraft flight hours:
2236
Circumstances:
About an hour and 13 minutes after departure from Tbilisi Airport, the crew decided to modify his route to save time. Few minutes later, while cruising vertical of the Caucasus Mountain Range, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 23 occupants was found. The wreckage was found by walkers in an isolated and mountainous area of north Georgia on June 20, 1947.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew to change the itinerary, against all published procedures and navigational rules.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DL on Mt Guram: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L924
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
9429
YOM:
1943
Location:
Mt Guram
Republic of North Ossetia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
1864
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Tbilisi Airport, the crew decided to modify his route without any coordination with ATC. Shortly later, while flying over the Caucasian mountains in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Guram. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Rostov, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was located by walkers on July 20, 1947, at an altitude of 3,000 meters.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was off track by 93 km relating to the flight plan that was filed. The accident resulted in a controlled flight into terrain as the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain range in poor visibility.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.41 Albermale near Yevlakh

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.41 Albemarle
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L403
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow – Hajigabul – Tbilisi
MSN:
P1640
YOM:
1943
Location:
Yevlakh
Aran
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On the leg from Hajigabul to Tbilisi of a route proving flight from Moscow-Vnukovo to Tbilisi when the crew decided to land at Yevlakh (Azerbaijan) due to an oil leak on the left engine. But the "Exactor" hydraulic control system of the propellers failed due to a design fault so that propeller pitch increased and the propeller thrust decreased, making it impossible to reach Yevlakh Airfield. The crew made a forced landing near Yevlakh and the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair as the tail broke off. All 4 crew members and 3 passengers were slightly injured.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-35bis near Shemakha: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1942 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-35 (ANT-35bis & PS-35)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2483
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Baku – Tbilisi
MSN:
2/0
YOM:
1938
Location:
Shemakha
Daghlig Shirvan
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew left Baku-Bina Airport at 1245LT on a flight to Tbilisi. Fifteen minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 900 meters in clouds, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near the city of Shemakha, just above the Dzheirankechmaz River. The passenger and the copilot were injured while all other crew members were killed. The pilot died from his injuries a day later.

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 Tupolev ANT-40 near Napareuli: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1938 at 0515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2446
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Rostov-on-Don – Moscow
MSN:
8/95
YOM:
1938
Location:
Napareuli
Kakheti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Tbilisi at 0442LT on a cargo flight to Moscow with an intermediate stop in Rostov with three crew members on board. 33 minutes into the flight, radio contact was lost after the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located 22 km north-northeast of Napareuli. As the airplane failed to arrive in Rostov, SAR operations were initiated. On 28 October 1938, the wreckage was found by two locals in a ravine. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The direct cause of the accident was the pilot's violation of §53 of the Flight Manual (leaving the route). According to the conclusion of the Main Inspectorate of ATC, the main cause of the crash was Aeroflot's insistence on a one-day flight, which the Head of the Georgian ATC did not protest, not taking into account the time of year and overestimating the qualities of the pilot, who had insufficient training on this type of aircraft. The responsable of the accident is the Head of the Main Directorate of Civil Aviation, who organized the unnecessary high-speed flight and committed a number of violations of the Flight Manual. Another person responsible for the crash was the head of the Georgian Air Traffic Control Directorate, who had released the plane in unstable weather conditions and had no radio navigation equipment on the route. The detection of the aircraft near Telovo can be attributed to wind drift in the absence of radio navigation facilities, rather than being deliberate.

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 Kalinin K-5 in Göyçay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1933 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L481
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Baku - Tiflis
MSN:
216
YOM:
1932
Location:
Göyçay
Aran
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
183
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Baku on a regular service to Tiflis (Tbilisi), carrying three passengers and two crew members. En route to Ganzhda and Yevlakh, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He reduced his altitude in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground and followed the railway line. Approaching Göyçay, at a height below 30 metres, he realized he was facing trees so he initiated a sharp turn to the right when the aircraft impacted poplar trees. The right wing was partially torn off and the aircraft crashed. A female passenger was injured while four other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Overconfidence and lack of discipline on part of the captain who decided to continue the flight at a too low and unsafe altitude in poor visibility due to foggy conditions.

Crash of a Kalinin K-4 in Novopavlovsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1932 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-4
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L228
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kharkiv – Mineralnye Vody – Tbilisi
MSN:
116
YOM:
1929
Location:
Novopavlovsk
Stavropol Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
539
Circumstances:
The crew departed Kharkiv to ferry the airplane to its base in Tiflis with an intermediate stop in Mineralnye Vody. After takeoff from Mineralnye Vody Airport, the crew climbed to an altitude of 300-350 metres then continued to the southeast, following the railway track. About 20 minutes into the flight, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to fog. Rather than returning to Mineralnye Vody, the captain decided to continue and reduced his altitude. He continued vertical to the railway line, sometimes to its left sometimes to its right. Too low, the airplane struck the ground and crashed near the Apollonskaya Station in Novopavlovsk. One mechanic was seriously injured while both other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the decision of the captain to continue the flight at low altitude in poor visibility due to fog rather than returning to Mineralnye Vody for a safe landing. It was determined that the information transmitted to the crew regarding the weather forecast were not relevant and were thus considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Kalinin K-4 in Baku: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1930 at 1610 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-4
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-225
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tbilisi - Baku
MSN:
113
YOM:
1929
Location:
Baku
Absheron
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
468
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Tiflis (Tbilisi), the crew initiated the descent to Baku at dusk. On final, in total obscurity, the airplane was too low when it collided with a telegraphic pole and crashed one km from the airport. The mechanic survived while three other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The decision of the captain to continue the approach at dusk (poor visibility) followed by a loss of orientation. The decision of the company to allow the crew to leave Tiflis while it was obviously too late.
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