Russia | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed Bolshoi Dvor on a special flight on behalf of the army. En route, the crew encountered poor visibility due to heavy snow falls. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane collided with a telegraph pole, lost its left wing and came to rest in a ditch. There were no casualties among the crew.

Probable cause:

Poor visibility due to heavy snow falls associated with a too late departure from Bolshoi Dvor.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP in Kasnya: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2591

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

12901

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the village of Kasnya. The pilot was killed and the passenger was injured.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Polikarpov AP near Vorochilovsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1941 at 1605 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-A1194

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Pyatigorsk – Vorochilovsk – Krasnodar

MSN:

16508

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

745

Circumstances:

The crew was supposed to convoy the airplane (delivery flight) from Pyatigorsk to Krasnodar with an intermediate stop in Vorochilovsk (now Stavropol). Prior to departure from Vorochilovsk, the crew estimated the weather conditions as suitable and took off at 1540LT for Krasnodar. Few minutes after takeoff, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was too low. Despite the situation, the pilot decided to continue in clouds when he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a wooded area located south of the city. The pilot was killed and the flight engineer was injured.

Probable cause:

Failure of the pilot to continue the flight in below minima weather conditions and his failure to continue the flight rather than to return to the departure airport. Poor flight preparation was a contributing factor.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Moscow

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1941

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3928

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

184 13 10

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, while climbing to a height of 20 metres, the right engine failed. The captain instructed the mechanic to raise the landing gear and elected to return for an emergency landing. For unknown reasons, the mechanic failed to raise the landing gear, which caused the aircraft to lose height. It collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area past the runway end. All five crew members escaped, among them both pilots were injured.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine due to faulty maintenance that caused an air leak at the autocorrector connector. The fact that the mechanic failed to raise the landing gear as requested by the captain contributed to the loss of speed and altitude.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Vyazma: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3926

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Vyazma – Moscow

MSN:

184 13 05

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Vyazma-Dvoyevka Airport in the late evening, while in initial climb, the aircraft encountered serious difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed in a field located 150 metres past the runway end. Upon impact, the passenger was thrown out and killed while all six crew members were injured. The airplane was outbound to Moscow-Vnukovo Airport.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the total weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was 11,600 kg, 1,114 kg above the MTOW. The runway length of 700 metres was considered as too short in such conditions.

Crash of a Tupolev G-1 in Snezhnoye: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-4 (TB-1 & G-1)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-N289

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Anadyr – Snezhnoye

MSN:

795

YOM:

1932

Location:

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Circumstances:

The pilot failed to cope with landing on the Anadyr River near Snezhnoye in 'mirror' conditions. The floatplane landed hard, lost its floats, crashed into the water and sank in a depth of 8-9 metres. All four crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Poor judgement on part of the pilot. Glassy water was a contributing factor.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Pilno

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3542

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

15/215

YOM:

1939

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew was returning to his base following a mail flight. While cruising in poor visibility at night, the crew was unable to locate their airport. After a four hours-flight, the crew abandoned the airplane that crashed beyond the enemy line. Both crew members were uninjured.

Crash of a Dornier DO J Wal near Chokurdakh

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Dornier Do J Wal

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-N238

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Kresty Kolymsky – Chokurdakh – Uelen – Anadyr – Krasnoyarsk

MSN:

YOM:

1928

Location:

Chokurdakh

Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Kresty Kolymski to Chokurdakh, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The crew made an emergency landing in the tundra in the region of Chokurdakh. There were no casualties and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Polikarpov S-2 in Volosta-Pyatnitsa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-K406

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

17129

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the village of Volosta-Pyatnitsa. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 in Heiligenbeil: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

F1+AS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

8520

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

In unknown circumstances, the bomber collided with a second JU.88 registered F1+ES. Both airplanes crashed in Heiligenbeil (now Mamonovo), killing all 10 occupants.
Crew:
Fw Karl Wolter, pilot,
Fw Hans Lörcher, bomb aimer,
Uffz Martin Faulstich, radio operator,
Uffz Franz Hierblinger,
Ogfr Karl Folgmann, air gunner.