Crash of a Beriev MBR-2 near Murmansk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
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 floatplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the region of Murmansk. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Alexander Grigoryevich Bazhanov, pilot,
Lt Fedor Markovich Mager, navigator,
Sgt Ivan Georgievich Stenkin, wireless operator and air gunner,
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Beriev MBR-2 near Murmansk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
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 floatplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in the region of Murmansk. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Alexander Andriyanovich Suvorov, pilot,
Lt Vasily Nikolaevich Ershov, navigator,
Sgt Grigory Petrovich Alekseev, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP near Shapki: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-K281
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
13095
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing an ambulance flight, carrying two wounded soldiers and one pilot. En route, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Shapki. The pilot was killed and both passengers were injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crashed of a Tupolev ANT-7 in Sadovniki

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1941 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3764
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Moscow
MSN:
22348
YOM:
1935
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1105
Aircraft flight cycles:
2192
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a ferry flight from Moscow-Myachkovo Airport to Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, carrying two crew members. It took off from Myachkovo Airport around 0930LT. Some 15 minutes into the flight, weather conditions deteriorated and the pilot got confused due the limited visibility cause by rain falls. He reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a muddy field located near Sadovniki. Upon touchdown, the airplane lost its undercarriage and was damaged beyond repair. Both crew members were uninjured.
Probable cause:
The decision of the pilot to attempt an immediate landing in an unsuitable terrain rather than returning to Myachkovo Airport. The lack of experience of the pilot in poor weather conditions remains a contributory factor as this created a confusion to him.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 near Ust-Orda: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1941 at 1405 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-P574
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ust-Orda - Ust-Orda
MSN:
0574
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Ust-Orda airport on a local training exercise. For unknown reasons, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located 10 km north of the airport. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Yastrebovo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1941 at 1340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3483
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Vyazma
MSN:
184 10 12
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Moscow-Vnukovo Airport on a supply mission to Vyazma, carrying a nurse, three crew members and a load of shells. About 20-25 minutes into the flight, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a wooded area located 2 km northeast of Yastrebovo, bursting into flames. The nurse was rescued by locals while all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-7 off Sofiysk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2962
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Khabarovsk – Nizhnetambovskoye – Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski
MSN:
22286
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
1182
Circumstances:
The floatplane departed Khabarovsk on a flight to Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski with an intermediate stop in Nizhnetambovskoye, carrying three passengers, four crew members and a load of 460 kilos of mail. About an hour after departure from Nizhnetambovskoye, while in cruising altitude, the pilot noted a leak on the right engine, between cylinders n°7 and 8. Shortly later, the right engine stopped and the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing on the Amur River. At the time of the accident, the water was glassy and upon landing some 700 metres offshore, the airplane crashed, overturned and sank. All four crew members were rescued by fishermen while all three passengers drowned.
Probable cause:
The following factors were identified:
- The right engine failed in flight, maybe after the mechanic turned off the ignition system,
- The speed of the airplane upon landing was excessive,
- The glassy water of the Amur River,
- The pilot was confused due the failure of the engine,
- The inappropriate position of the stabilizers.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP in Podmoshye: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-S1181
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
7628
YOM:
1935
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the village of Podmoshye. The pilot was killed and the passenger was injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Veimarn

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3426
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6 5 10
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a special flight, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in an open field where the airplane belly landed and came to rest upside down. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all four crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Rostov-on-Don: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3515
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rostov-on-Don - Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
8/214
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Rostov-on-Don Airport at 0602LT on a meteorological mission over the area. While cruising at an altitude of 5,000 metres, the crew encountered an unexpected situation with the right engine. Following the advice from the mechanic, the pilot shut down the right engine then decided to return to Rostov Airport. On final approach on one engine, the airplane' speed dropped to 150 km/h then it stalled and crashed 2 km from the runway threshold. The pilot and the mechanic were injured and the meteorologist was killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot shut down the right engine at the altitude of 5,000 metres upon the advice of the mechanic despite all technical parameters were correct. During the final approach, he led the airplane' speed dropped at a too low speed, causing the airplane to stall at a height of 20-25 metres.