Crash of a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth in Katherine: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1941
Registration:
VH-UZS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Katherine – Darwin
MSN:
DHA5
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Katherine Airfield, while on an ambulance flight to Darwin, the pilot encountered engine problems and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft hit tree tops and crashed upside down, bursting into flames. While the nurse and the pilot were injured, the female patient was killed and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
The engine failed shortly after takeoff because the fuel was contaminated with water.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Kozelsk

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3917
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
184 12 08
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was carrying 12 wounded soldiers and five crew members when it was attacked by enemy fire. The crew made an emergency landing in a prairie. Later, the crew took off again but the airplane suffered from icing conditions and crashed. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of a Fokker F8 in Latva

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FE-1
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oripää - Turku
MSN:
5046
YOM:
1928
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Oripää Airport bound for Turku, carrying a wounded soldier and three crew members. Shortly after takeoff, at least one engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed in a wooded area located in Latva, some 5 km from the airport. The airplane was destroyed and all three crew members were uninjured. The wounded soldier was later transferred to a local hospital.
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by air in the fuel supply system.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Olenitsa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1941 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2518
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Murmansk – Arkhangelsk
MSN:
165
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
41
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1857
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Murmashi Airport in Murmansk on an ambulance flight to Arkhangelsk, carrying four wounded soldiers and one pilot. About two hours into the flight, the engine started to lose power and later failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a bog located 270 km southeast of Murmansk and came to rest upside down. All four passengers escaped injured while the pilot was killed. The aircraft was later destroyed by an unintentional fire set up by the passengers who were smoking around the wreckage.
Probable cause:
Because the airplane was destroyed by fire, the cause of the engine failure could not be determined.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP near Shapki: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-K281
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
13095
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing an ambulance flight, carrying two wounded soldiers and one pilot. En route, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Shapki. The pilot was killed and both passengers were injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Vyazma: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3421
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vyazma - Vyazma
MSN:
6 5 03
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a transfer of wounded soldiers between two airports in the region of Vyazma. While flying at low height, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All three crew members were injured and the passenger was killed. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
Mr. Dobrovolski +2.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Lake Sabro: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3400
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kholm - Kalinin
MSN:
84 1
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kholm on a flight to Kalinin (now Tver), carrying 21 wounded soldiers and a crew of three. After takeoff from Kholm, the radio operator took over controls and continued to the east. Approaching the area of Lake Sabro, the captain asked the radio operator to reduced his altitude to minimum, order dismissed by the radio operator. The captain took over controls and descended until both propellers impacted the surface of the lake. The airplane went out of control and crash landed on an island. The captain was seriously injured and a passenger was killed. All other occupants were transferred to Kalinin.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Ruza

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3464
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Velikiye Luki - Moscow
MSN:
8 5 13
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was en route from Velikiye Luki to Moscow, carrying 19 wounded soldiers and a crew of three. En route, it was attacked three times by the pilot of a German fighter and caught fire. The crew reduced his altitude and made an emergency landing in an open field near Ruza. All 22 occupants evacuated and the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
N. Andreyev +2.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone off Sicily

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-POLA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
299
YOM:
1936
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While completing an ambulance flight, the three engine airplane was shot down by a British fighter and crashed in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily. The occupant's fate remains unknown.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Glenbrook: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A4-5
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Parkes – Sydney
MSN:
971
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Parkes on an ambulance flight to Sydney-Mascot Airport, carrying one patient, one doctor and three crew members. While overflying Glenbrook at low height, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed at the intersection of two streets, downtown Glenbrook. While no one on the ground was injured, all five occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O J. I. Newman, pilot,
F/O Henry Theodore Skillman, copilot,
AC1 C. R. Tysoc, wireless operator.
Passengers:
S/L James Manning Rainbow, medical officer,
P/O Bailey Middlebrook Sawyer, patient.
Probable cause:
According to witnesses, it appears the aircraft went out of control following a partial loss of the left wing, maybe due to a structural failure.