Date & Time:
Nov 6, 1936 at 1838 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-9 (PS-9)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-D311
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Berlin – Königsberg – Velikiye Luki – Moscow
MSN:
160
YOM:
1933
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
7
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane named 'Yastreb' departed Berlin on a regular schedule flight to Moscow with intermediate stop in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) and Velikiye Luki, Tver oblast. After two Japanese citizens get on board, the aircraft departed Velikiye Luki Airport at 1626LT on the final leg to Moscow-Bykovo Airport. The crew continued the flight at an altitude of 200 metres with regular radio communications with ATC. After passing Rzhev, the crew continued at night and the visibility was limited. At an altitude of 140 metres, the airplane collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area located in Nemirovo, some 27 km southwest of Volokolamsk. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain after the decision of the crew to continue the flight at at unsafe altitude of 140 metres, causing the aircraft to collide with trees near Nemirovo, the highest point of the area. The total weight of the aircraft was high because the crew made full fuel at Velikiye Luki Airport, which was considered as aggravating circumstances as well as the absence of radio navigation en route.
