Date & Time:
May 20, 1943 at 0135 LT
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3909
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Sochi - Sochi
MSN:
184 11 15
YOM:
1941
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew left Sochi-Adler at the end of the afternoon on a supply mission to the soldiers based in Crimea. While approaching Crimea, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and all three targets were inaccessible. In such conditions, the captain decided to return to Sochi were the weather conditions worsened so it was not possible to land. The crew diverted to Sukhumi where the landing was refused so to the captain eventually took the decision to return to Adler Airport. On approach by night, at a height of 500 meters, the airplane hit the slope of a mountain located 16 km north of the airport, near Matsesta. All six crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The crew attempted to land at Sochi-Adler in below-minima weather conditions.
