Date & Time:
Apr 2, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L924
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
9429
YOM:
1943
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
1864
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Tbilisi Airport, the crew decided to modify his route without any coordination with ATC. Shortly later, while flying over the Caucasian mountains in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Guram. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Rostov, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was located by walkers on July 20, 1947, at an altitude of 3,000 meters.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was off track by 93 km relating to the flight plan that was filed. The accident resulted in a controlled flight into terrain as the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain range in poor visibility.
