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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 Polikarpov PR-5 in Samarovo: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1941 at 1142 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3374
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tyumen - Samarovo
MSN:
268
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
130
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Tyumen-Plekhanovo Airport on a schedule service to Samarovo (now Khanty-Mansiysk), carrying one pilot and six passengers, four adults and two children. Approaching Samarovo, weather conditions deteriorated with snow falls reducing the visibility below one km. The pilot overflew Samarovo without any visual contact and continued until weather conditions improved. At this time, the pilot decided to return to Samarovo despite the fact that the weather was still bad. Approaching from the north, he attempted to land in a pasture when he lost control of the airplane that crashed 15 km north of Samarovo. All seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot deliberately decided to return to Samarovo for landing despite poor weather conditions.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The weather bulletin transmitted to the pilot was expired and did reflect the actual weather conditions at destination,
- Absence of control points on the route Tobolsk - Samarovo,
- The pilot's lack of experience and training in instrument flights.

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 Polikarpov PR-5 in Suslovo

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-F
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Omsk - Ulan-Ude
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed the factory in Omsk to deliver the airplane in Ulan-Ude. En route, the engine failed and the pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a prairie located in Suslovo. The pilot was unhurt and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Tupolev G-1 in Danghara

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1991
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
723
YOM:
1931
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances one km southeast of Danghara. All three crew members were uninjured.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Ukhta

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3370
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ust-Tsylma - Ukhta
MSN:
264
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Ust-Tsylma on a flight to Ukhta, carrying four passengers and a pilot who were in charge to collect election materials. In unknown circumstances, the airplane crashed 40 km north of Ukhta, coming to rest broken in two. All five occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Leshukonskoye

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2569
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ust-Tsylma - Leshukonskoye
MSN:
176
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was approaching Leshukonskoye on a flight from Ust-Tsylma when it crashed in unknown circumstances 18 km north of Leshukonskoye. All five occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Stavropol: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3405
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rostov-on-Don – Mineralnye Vody
MSN:
84 4
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route from Rostov-on-Don to Mineralnye Vody, the crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds. In an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground, the pilot reduced his altitude when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Stavropol. All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Novosibirsk: 18 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3409
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow – Omsk – Novosibirsk – Irkutsk
MSN:
02 4 6
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Moscow on a flight to Irkutsk with intermediate stops in Omsk and Novosibirsk. On approach to Novosibirsk Airport, the crew encountered unfavorable weather conditions when the aircraft crashed. Three passengers were rescued while 18 other occupants were killed.