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

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1932 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L228
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kharkiv – Mineralnye Vody – Tbilisi
MSN:
116
YOM:
1929
Country:
Region:
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 Junkers G.24 in Nijnetambovskoïe: 16 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1932 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L718
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Okha – Nikolayevsk-on-Amur – Nijnetambovskoye – Khabarovsk
MSN:
930
YOM:
1925
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Aircraft flight hours:
411
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Okha on a flight to Khabarovsk with intermediate stops in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur and Nijnetambovskoye. While descending to Nijnetambovskoye, the pilot encountered marginal weather conditions. Because the visibility was limited, he reduced his altitude to minimum. On final approach, at a height of 50 metres, the right wing failed and detached. The airplane nosed down and crashed in a pasture. All 16 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right wing on approach because of poor repairs of the four supporting beams.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Incorrect calculation of the dimensions of the shaped couplings and diameter of the rivets,
- Inaccurate record of the repairs in the aircraft logbook,
- Only spars n°2 and 6 were reported in the logbook, not spars n°4 and 8,
- The aircraft was overloaded by 562 kilos upon takeoff from Nikolayevsk-on-Amur as its total weight was 6,862 kg.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 in Tambov: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1932 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tambov - Tambov
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew (one instructor and one cadet) departed Tambov for a local training flight. While flying on its back at an altitude of 800 metres, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near the runway. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Dewoitine D.33 near Ufa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-ALFC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Paris - Tokyo
MSN:
02
YOM:
1931
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Named 'Le Trait d'Union II', the aircraft departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport on 11SEP1931 for a nonstop flight to Tokyo, the second attempt for this crew. A first attempt was made last 14 of July but the aircraft crashed in Sherbati, Russia. While cruising east of Ufa, over the Ural Mountains, the crew encountered problems while flying in poor weather conditions. Marcel Doret asked his colleagues to take their parachute and bail out. He bailed out few seconds later and landed safely when the aircraft crashed and was destroyed. At this time, he realized his both friends remained in the cabin and did not bail out for unknown reasons. Both aviators Joseph Le Brix et René Mesmin were killed.

Crash of a Dewoitine D.33 in Nizhneudinsk

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1931 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AKDV
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Tokyo
MSN:
01
YOM:
1930
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was attempting the first non stop flight from Paris to Tokyo and departed Paris-Le Bourget on 12 July 1931 at 0443LT. While cruising over the region of Nizhneudinsk, the engine failed due to icing conditions. Le Brix and Mesmin bailed out while the pilot Doret attempted to make an emergency landing near Sherbati. The aircraft eventually crashed in a wooded area and was damaged beyond repair as the engine and the right wing were torn off. The aircraft was christened 'Le Trait d'Union'.
Crew:
Joseph Le Brix,
Marcel Doret,
René Mesmin.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight due to icing.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-1 in Tushino: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-313
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moscow - Moscow
MSN:
2161
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Moscow on a local training flight with two pilots on board. En route, the crew encountered engine problems and was able to make an emergency landing near Tushino. Mechanics were called to make a check of the engine but nothing particular was noted and the crew was cleared for takeoff. Nevertheless, the captain took off with a mechanic on board to proceed with in-flight tests. Shortly after takeoff, at a height of about 100-150 metres, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed, killing both occupants.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of an engine failure for unknown reasons.