Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK near Gudermes: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1945 at 1140 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L963
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Baku – Makhachkala – Grozny – Simferopol
MSN:
15099/26544
YOM:
6
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
133
Circumstances:
After take off from Makhachkala, the visibility was poor and the crew was following the railway track up to Grozny. But the pilot lost his orientation when the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Terski located near Gudermes. All five occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were below minima.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DK in Saratov: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1945 at 1545 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L866
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kuybyshev – Saratov
MSN:
12601
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
1056
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Kuybyshev to Saratov-Razboyshchina Airport with a load of various goods for a total weight of 2,089 kilos. On approach to Saratov, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a visibility limited to 800 metres due to fog. Despite below minima conditions, the captain decided to continue the approach and completed a last turn to join the glide when the aircraft stalled and crashed about 5 km from the airport, on the slope of the Korolyov Sad ravine, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew who decided to continue the approach in below minima conditions and failed to return to Kuybyshev for a safe landing. Poor flight organisation by the operations and inadequate information transmitted to the crew concerning the weather forecast which did not reflect the actual conditions.

Crash of a Naval Aircraft Factory PBN-1 Nomad near Severodvinsk: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
02806
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Naryan Mar – Lakhta
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was returning from Naryan Mar to Lakhta AFB following a maritime patrol flight in the Novaya Zemlya region. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility was reduced due to fog. The pilot decided to gain height when the seaplane hit the top of a hill and crashed in flames some 2 km southeast of Lodka hill. While six crew members were killed instantly, the mechanic was slightly injured and walked for 12 days prior to find help in the small village of Kotkino. The crew was from the 44th Aviation Regiment of the White Sea Flotilla.

Crash of a North American B-25J Mitchell near Khilok: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1944 at 1302 LT
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Chita – Ulan-Ude – Moscow
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Chita-Cheryomushki Airport at 1210LT, carrying a delegation of eight Soviet officers who were returning to Moscow following an inspection of the Far East Air Force Unit. Some 52 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located in the region of Khilok. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended on November 11, 1944 as no trace of the airplane nor the occupants was found. The wreckage was located in September 1945. All eight occupants were killed, among them General Vladimir Ivanovitch Artamonov.
Occupants:
Col Vladimir Ivanovitch Artamonov,
Col A. P. Naumov,
Col P. K. Pomortsev,
Lt Col P. A. Bogdanov,
Lt Col I. G. Kramarenko,
Lt J. C. Goetz,
Sgt Zhirnov,
Sgt Kazachenk.
Source: http://wikimapia.org/20707306/ru

Crash of a Junkers JU.52 in Russia

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-I354
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Schedule:
Ufa - Gorki
MSN:
7120
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed somewhere in Russia in June 1944 (exact date unknown). Occupant fate unknown as well.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 off Vel'Kal: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 30, 1944
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Kresta Bay, off Vel'Kal. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Plessetsk: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1848703
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while making a test flight near the Obozerski Airport, in the region of Plessetsk, some 200 km south of Arkhangelsk. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Moscow-Vnukovo

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L875
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Moscow
MSN:
11899
YOM:
11
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
341
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a positioning flight from Moscow-Vnukovo to Moscow-Khodynka. Shortly after takeoff, the crew voluntarily shot down an engine for training purposes. As he was unable to restart the engine, the captain decided to return to Vnukovo. On final, probably due to a wrong approach configuration, the aircraft landed long and after touchdown, the captain decided to go around. But the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway, collided with a parked Bell P-39Q Airacobra before coming to rest in flames 85 meters further on. All five crew members were unhurt while both aircraft were destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Russia: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L846
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kudrovo - Kudrovo
MSN:
11939
YOM:
27
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a supply mission from Kudrovo AFB in Leningrad to an area located behind the German lines. The aircraft went missing over German-held after a last contact was heard at 2235LT. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Gorki: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1944 at 1202 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4068
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gorki – Kuybyshev
MSN:
184 114 05
YOM:
15
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
107
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 40 meters, the aircraft stalled, banked right and crashed in a huge explosion 200 meters from the boundary fence. All six occupants were killed. The aircraft was performing a cargo flight to Kuybyshev carrying a load of various goods consisting of studs, cord and gloves.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to prepare the flight properly and did not follow the pre-departure checklist. Thus, the crew did not realize that the elevator trim tabs were not set to neutral prior to takeoff and after rotation, were positioned to a positive angle of 12°, causing the aircraft to nose up and stall.