Date & Time:
Jun 3, 1942 at 1253 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3527
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Ordzonikidze – Mineralnye Vody – Krasnodar
MSN:
20/214
YOM:
1939
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
602
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Tbilisi Airport at 1233LT on a flight to Krasnodar with intermediate stops in Ordzonikidze (Vladikavkaz) and Mineralnye Vody. After departure, the crew climbed to an altitude of 2,500 metres then continued over the Caucasian Mountain Range. As weather conditions deteriorated, the pilot climbed to an altitude of 4,000 metres and realized it would not be possible to pass over the mountains so he decided to fly to the east, direction Baku. Shortly later, while flying at an altitude of 4,000 metres, the airplane caught fire in flight and crashed on the slope of Mt Ninikas-Tsikhe, bursting into flames. The airplane was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the in-flight fire could not be determined with certainty.
