Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Bryansk

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-F165
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
7359
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing somewhere near Bryansk. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Gosh

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2986
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
9380
YOM:
1934
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in the region of Gosh, some 74 km northeast of Yerevan. The pilot was rescued and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Mestia

Date & Time: May 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2988
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kutaisi - Mestia
MSN:
5777
YOM:
1932
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an error on part of the pilot, the airplane crashed upon landing at Mestia Airport. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Junkers JU.,52/mte near Pec pod Sněžkou: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DE+IH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
6670
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a mail flight on behalf of the Kurierstaffel 110 when it crashed in hilly terrain near Petzer (now Pec pod Sněžkou). Three crew members were killed and a fourth was injured.
Crew:
Fw Hilbig, pilot, †
Gefr Ernst Beins, radio operator, †
Fw Herman Schulze1, radio operator, †
Uffz Otto Fritsche, mechanic.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41bis in Oktyabrskaya: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1941 at 1505 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3505
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leningrad - Moscow
MSN:
2/300
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
260
Circumstances:
Prior to takeoff from Leningrad, the pilot was informed about weather conditions and instructed to fly not above 600 metres. The airplane departed Leningrad Airport at 1320LT on a mail flight to Moscow with two crew members on board. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot was forced to return due to an oil leak on the right tank. After repairs, the airplane took off again at 1435LT. The pilot continued at an altitude of 500-600 metres when the airplane entered clouds. Due to turbulence, the pilot decided to climb until 2,500 metres then 3,000 metres. Later, while descending, the airplane' speed increased from 270 km/h to 400 km/h and it became unstable. The flight engineer has been shaken from left to right and tried to get a radio contact with the pilot. As this was unsuccessful, he abandoned the airplane and bailed out. He was later found uninjured. The airplane continued its descent and the pilot also attempted to bail out but this was too late. His parachute failed to open in time and he was killed. The airplane crashed in a wooded area located in Oktyabrskaya, some 100 km east of Leningrad and was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Lack of discipline on part of the pilot who disregarded the instructions related to the max altitude to respect and his decision to fly against the published procedures.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Trostyanka

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3530
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow – Kuybyshev – Almaty
MSN:
3/215
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Kyubyshev to Almaty, the crew encountered technical problems and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a pasture located in Trostyanka, about 70 km east of Kuybyshev. The crew was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Kuybyshev

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3522
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow – Kuybyshev – Almaty
MSN:
15/234
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a mail flight from Moscow to Almaty. En route, weather deteriorated with icing conditions, causing the windshield to be covered by ice and frost. To land at Kuybyshev Airport, the pilot was forced to put his head out of the cockpit, but doing so, he missed the runway. After touchdown, the airplane skidded off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Farman NC.223 into the Mediterranean Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1940 at 1205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AROA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marseille – Bizerte – Beirut – Damascus
MSN:
3
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While cruising off Sardinia on a flight to Beyrouth and Damascus via Bizerte, the radio navigator sent a brief message that he was hit by enemy fire. Shortly later, the aircraft named 'Le Verrier' crashed into the sea some 50 km off the Cape Spartivento, south of Sardinia. SAR were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the seven occupants was ever found. At the time of the accident, Italian and British fighters were taking part to a battle in the area.
Crew:
Henri Guillaumet, pilot,
Marcel Reine, copilot,
Jean Le Duff, radio navigator,
Fernand Franques, flight engineer,
Lucien Montaubin. second flight engineer.
Passengers:
Jean Chiappe, High Civil Commissioner of France to Levant (Lebanon and Syria),
Cpt Nicolas.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an Italian or a British fighter.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Novoe Selo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1940 at 1600 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3523
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rostov-on-Don – Sochi – Sukhumi – Kutaisi – Tbilisi
MSN:
16/214
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
64
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Rostov Airport at 1500LT on a mail flight to Tbilisi with intermediate stops in Sochi, Sukhumi and Kutaisi. About 50 minutes into the flight, while cruising in stormy weather, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive, partially disintegrated in the air and crashed in a field at a speed of 600-700 km/h. Both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the crew lost control of the airplane after it was struck by lightning. For unknown reasons, the crew decided to continue the flight into poor weather conditions rather than returning to Rostov.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73P in Arques: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AGS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brussels – London
MSN:
3
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane departed Brussels on a mail flight to London on behalf of the RAF 271st Squadron. En route, it was shot down by the German Flak. The mechanic bailed out and survived while both pilots were killed when the aircraft crashed in an open field.
Crew:
P/O John Robertson McLaren, pilot, †
Victor Moreau, pilot, †
Armand Peeters, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.