Date & Time:
Aug 11, 1942 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3493
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Moscow – Kuibyshev – Astrakhan – Makhachkala – Ordzhonikidze
MSN:
184 10 27
YOM:
1941
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
4
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On August 10, the airplane departed Moscow on a flight to Ordzhonikidze with intermediate stops in Kuibyshev, Astrakhan and Makhachkala. The crew passed an overnight in Makhachkala and the airplane took off at 0810LT on August 11 on the last leg to Ordzhonikidze with 18 passengers and a crew of six on board. The copilot ask the captain several times to take over the controls but this was refused. Eventually, the captain accepted to transfer the controls to the copilot and fell asleep. Instead of bypassing the mountains, the copilot flew directly over the mountains. Following a misjudgment of the rate of climb, the airplane lost speed and was unable to climb properly when it descended to the right, impacted trees and crashed in hilly and wooded terrain. While passengers were trying to help wounded people, the airplane suffered several explosions and was destroyed by fire. One crew member and four passengers were killed while 19 other occupants escaped with various injuries.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the followings:
- The copilot decided to continue the flight at an altitude too low to fly over the terrain and natural obstacles;
- The captain handed over control of the airplane to the copilot over a mountainous area and fell asleep during the flight.
- The copilot decided to continue the flight at an altitude too low to fly over the terrain and natural obstacles;
- The captain handed over control of the airplane to the copilot over a mountainous area and fell asleep during the flight.
