Date & Time:
Jun 22, 1935 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1734
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mineralnye Vody – Tiflis
MSN:
9502
YOM:
1935
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
184
Aircraft flight cycles:
143
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Mineralnye Vody on a mail flight to Tiflis, Georgia, with two crew members on board. After passing the Krestovy Pass, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The pilot elected to return to Mineralnye Vody and initiated a turn. Shortly later, he lost his orientation and thinking he already passed the highest mountain, he initiated the descent when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain part of the Mt Kazbek, about 7 km southeast of the summit (5,047 metres). The wreckage was found at an altitude of 4,000 metres and both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot got lost while cruising in reduced visibility due to foggy conditions and rain.
