Date & Time:
Jan 30, 1939 at 1632 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2295
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – Ust-Bolsheretsk
MSN:
10189
YOM:
1937
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
313
Circumstances:
During the day, the pilot already performed twice the flight between Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Ust-Bolsheretsk. After passing over Apacha, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility dropped to zero due to heavy snow falls. Nevertheless, the pilot attempted to land at Ust-Bolsheretsk and continued the approach when he lost control of the airplane that crashed six km east of the destination airfield. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The decision of the pilot to initiate an approach in below-minima weather conditions. Lack of discipline on part of the pilot and his failure to return in time were considered as contributing factors.
