Russia | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed Moscow-Vnukovo Airport on a cargo flight to Vyazma, carrying five crew members and a load of ammunition and tracts. After takeoff from Vnukovo Airport, while climbing to a height of 20-30 metres, the left engine lost power. The airplane rolled to the left, lost height, impacted a tree and crashed, bursting into flames. Four crew members were injured and the mechanic was killed.

Probable cause:

A loss of power on the left engine for reasons that could not be determined with certainty. However, the period of time between the engine startup and the takeoff procedure was five minutes only, which was insufficient to allow the engine to be sufficiently hot.

Crash of a Tupolev G-1 near Ostrovnoye

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1941

Type of aircraft:

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

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-N292

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

807

YOM:

1932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The floatplane was leaving the area of Ostrovnoye and took off from the Maly Anyuy River when the accident occurred. The pilot attempted to take off against the water flow and with a light tailwind component. Due to the presence of a pebbles along the takeoff path and to avoid any collision, the pilot took off prematurely while the airplane's speed was too low. Just after liftoff, the pilot initiated a turn when the airplane stalled and crashed in the river. All six occupants were uninjured.

Probable cause:

The pilot initiated the takeoff in unfavorable conditions and lifted off prematurely with an insufficient speed, causing the airplane to stall almost immediately after takeoff.

Crash of a Polikarpov S-2 in Kardymovo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-K474

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

17261

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near Kardymovo, killing the pilot, sole on board.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-260 near Novgorod

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

URSS-G

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

2097

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was sent to Novgorod to replace URSS-K that was shot down the previous day. In similar circumstances, while approaching Novgorod, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed. Occupants fate unknown. The flight was performed on behalf of the Grazhdansky Vozdushnyi Flot (GVF).

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Tupolev G-2 near Spirovo: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941 at 1400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-6 (TB-3 & G-2)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2529

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Novgorod

MSN:

22 753

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Moscow on a cargo flight to Novgorod, carrying one passenger, six crew members and a load of 3,221 kg of CS liquid. While cruising along the railway road to Kalinin, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Spirovo. All seven occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

8H+EL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Sępopol - Borisov

MSN:

0739

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Schippelbeil (now Sępopol, Poland), on a flight to Borisov, Belarus. It crashed in unknow circumstances somewhere in Russia. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Hans Joachim Hinrichs, pilot,
Fw Klose, Observer,
Uffz Klein, radio operator,
Ogefr Bigalke, air gunner.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Yelnya: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3427

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moscow - Gomel

MSN:

6 5 11

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was on a supply mission from Moscow to Gomel when it crashed in unknown circumstances in Yelnya. Two crew members and the passengers were killed while two other crews became PoW, among them the pilot Leonid M. Kulshchikov.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41bis in Russia: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941

Type of aircraft:

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

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3504

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1/300

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was lost without trace and probably crashed in the region of the North Front while on a supply mission.

Crash of a Tupolev G-1 in Russia

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941

Type of aircraft:

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

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2979

Flight Phase:

Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

621

YOM:

1930

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The right engine failed in flight. The airplane lost height, impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area. The pilot was injured and the mechanic was unhurt. The airplane was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine in flight.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-260 near Novgorod

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

URSS-K

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

2098

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by an enemy fighter and crashed near Novgorod. Occupants fate unknown. The flight was performed on behalf of the Grazhdansky Vozdushnyi Flot (GVF).

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.