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Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Ivantsevo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1942 at 0230 LT
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3948
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stockholm – Kalinin
MSN:
184 20 07
YOM:
1941
Location:
Ivantsevo
Leningrad oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left Stockholm-Bromma at 2215LT on a cargo flight to Kalinin-Migalovo Airport (now Tver), carrying various goods for the Commissariat of the Foreign Trade. At 0032LT, the crew informed ground about his position in the region of Riga and then continued to the east and reduced his altitude to the minimum to avoid enemy aircraft. While cruising at low height, the aircraft was hit by gunfire and the left engine caught fire. The captain elected to make an emergency landing, made a turn to the right when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located one km east of Ivantsevo. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that gunfire hit the left engine that caught fire in flight, necessitating an emergency landing. Soviet Authorities reported that the decision of the captain to fly at low height was a good decision to avoid any enemy aircraft. Unfortunately, investigations were unable to determine the origin of the gunfire, German or Soviet.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Novosibirsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3447
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Novosibirsk - Novosibirsk
MSN:
8 5 04
YOM:
18
Location:
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1111
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight in Novosibirsk. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the left engine flamed out. The pilot in command lost control of the aircraft that stalled and crashed in a wooded area located one km northwest of the airfield. The copilot was killed while three other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the flight engineer mishandled the fuel system, causing the left engine to flame out. The following factors were considered as contributory:
- the pilot in command was insufficiently trained,
- poor crew coordination,
- lack of crew resource management.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Yelets: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1942 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3484
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Vzdruzhnoye - Ielets
MSN:
184 10 13
YOM:
1941
Location:
Yelets
Lipetsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
1267
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Yelets following a supply mission to the soldiers based in Vzdruzhnoye, beyond the enemy lines. The approach to Yelets Airport was attempted by night and poor visibility. The crew completed three circuits around the airport when the pilot in command lost control of the aircraft that crashed near the runway threshold. Three crew members and both passengers were killed while two other occupants were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during an approach attempted in below-minima weather conditions.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Moscow: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3423
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Moscow – Kazan – Khabarovsk
MSN:
6 5 05
YOM:
29
Location:
Moscow-Khodynka
Moscow oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
2041
Circumstances:
While on ground in Moscow-Khodynka Airport, the right engine was subject to maintenance due to vibrations. The technical issue was apparently resolved so the crew decided to leave Moscow for Kazan. After liftoff, while climbing to a height of 100 meters, the right engine suffered severe vibrations and the crew tried to fix the problem by changing the mixture of the carburetor. The right engine failed and the aircraft lost height and eventually stalled and crashed on a railway line located in the station of Moscow-Butyrskaya, about 3,5 km northeast of the Khodynka Airport. Three crew members, nine passengers (among them P. S. Makarova, Deputy of the Chairman of the Soviet Supreme) and one person on the ground were killed. A crew member and eight other passengers were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The malfunction of the right engine was due to a multiple issues caused by a lack of monitoring on part of the company technicians and a poor design/conception. It was reported that the crew decided to leave Moscow because they thought the problem was resolved. Unfortunately, this was not the case and the engine suffered severe vibrations again after liftoff. The decision of the crew to interact on the carburetor mixture without knowing the exact cause of the technical issue was inappropriate. Investigations pointed out the intervention of unqualified technicians in Sverdlovsk and the lack of organization on maintenance between the technicians based in Sverdlovsk and Moscow.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Bol’shoye Veregovo: 27 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1942 at 2325 LT
Type of aircraft:
GVF PS-84
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3999
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Bol'shoye Veregovo
Kaluga oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Kubinka Airport near Moscow on a supply mission. At 2100LT, the aircraft flew over the enemy lines and landed on the Bol’shoye Veregovo Airfield at 2245LT. It took off at 2305LT but was shot down by the Germans twenty minutes later and crashed in a huge explosion, killing all 27 occupants.
Probable cause:
Shot down by German fire.

Crash of an Ilyushin DB-3 in Russia

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-4 (DB-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
7905
YOM:
1942
Location:
Russia
All Russia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The left engine lost pressure and power in flight, followed 18 minutes later by the right engine. The pilot reduced his altitude and made an emergency landing in a swampy area. Both crew members escaped uninjured while the airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Mismanagement of the fuel supply system on part of the crew.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Yelets: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov PR-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3339
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow - Yelets
MSN:
226
YOM:
1940
Location:
Yelets
Lipetsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances while on a flight from Moscow-Myachkovo and Yelets. Lost without trace.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP near Slavyanoserbsk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-A3166
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rubizhnaya - Rostov-on-Don
MSN:
14419
YOM:
1939
Location:
Slavyanoserbsk
Luhansk Oblast
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
1396
Circumstances:
En route from Rubizhnaya to Rostov, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and caught fire. Out of control, it descended to the ground and crashed near Slavyanoserbsk. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-40 on Mt Karzhantau: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1942 at 0700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3541
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tashkent – Frunze – Alma-Ata – Semipalatinsk
MSN:
14/215
YOM:
1939
Location:
Mt Karzhantau
Tashkent Province (Toshkent viloyati)
Country:
Uzbekistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
540
Circumstances:
The crew was in charge to transfer the airplane to its new base in Semipalatinsk and departed Tashkent Airport at 0625LT. En route stops were scheduled in Frunze (Bishkek) and Alma-Ata. About 40 minutes after departure, weather conditions deteriorated on the east part of Uzbekistan with a sand storm. As the airplane failed to arrive in Frunze, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended as no trace of the airplane was found. The wreckage was eventually found in 1943 at an altitude of 2,501 metres, on the Karzhantau Mountain Range, some 65 km northeast of Tashkent. The airplane impacted the slope of the mountain about 100 metres below the summit and was partially destroyed by a post crash fire. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot failed to follow the prescribed route and continued at an insufficient altitude to pass the Karzhantau Mountain Range. Thus, it is considered that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain while flying in marginal weather conditions.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 near Belomorsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-P520
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kolezhma - Sosnovets
Location:
Belomorsk
Republic of Karelia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kolezhma at 1730LT on a flight to Sosnovets. Because weather conditions were excellent, the pilot flew to the west for about 45 km at a height of about 10-15 metres above ground when the right wing collided with a tall pine tree, causing the airplane to crash in a forest. The pilot was killed and the passenger was injured. He walked few km until he found help. The wreckage was never found and it is believed that the airplane crashed some 25 km north of Belomorsk.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pilot to follow the minimum prescribed altitude of 50 metres.
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