Date & Time:
May 24, 1943 at 1615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
URSS-B
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Baku – Astrakhan – Saratov – Moscow
MSN:
2035
YOM:
1943
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew decided to take off in the direction of rising ground as there was some side wind in the normal takeoff direction. The aircraft lifted off close to the end of the runway, made a turn at low height and low speed in order to come clear of the hill ahead, stalled, came down and collided with an earth wall. The copilot was killed while all 19 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew who decided to takeoff from the wrong runway considering the wind direction (11 km/h cross wind). The reaction of the copilot during the initial climb was erroneous and the supervision of the captain was inappropriate.
