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Crash of a Tupolev ANT-40 near Napareuli: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1938 at 0515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2446
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Rostov-on-Don – Moscow
MSN:
8/95
YOM:
1938
Location:
Napareuli
Kakheti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Tbilisi at 0442LT on a cargo flight to Moscow with an intermediate stop in Rostov with three crew members on board. 33 minutes into the flight, radio contact was lost after the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located 22 km north-northeast of Napareuli. As the airplane failed to arrive in Rostov, SAR operations were initiated. On 28 October 1938, the wreckage was found by two locals in a ravine. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The direct cause of the accident was the pilot's violation of §53 of the Flight Manual (leaving the route). According to the conclusion of the Main Inspectorate of ATC, the main cause of the crash was Aeroflot's insistence on a one-day flight, which the Head of the Georgian ATC did not protest, not taking into account the time of year and overestimating the qualities of the pilot, who had insufficient training on this type of aircraft. The responsable of the accident is the Head of the Main Directorate of Civil Aviation, who organized the unnecessary high-speed flight and committed a number of violations of the Flight Manual. Another person responsible for the crash was the head of the Georgian Air Traffic Control Directorate, who had released the plane in unstable weather conditions and had no radio navigation equipment on the route. The detection of the aircraft near Telovo can be attributed to wind drift in the absence of radio navigation facilities, rather than being deliberate.

Crash of a Polikarpov AP in Salyan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1938 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-A774
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ajikabul - Salyan
MSN:
7950
YOM:
1936
Location:
Salyan
Daghlig Shirvan
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
929
Aircraft flight cycles:
2819
Circumstances:
At 0400LT, the pilot completed several flights in the area of Ajikabul to perform spraying missions over cotton fields. He allowed two passengers to embark and made some tours before having lunch during which he has drunk vodka. Then, he took off again and while making a low pass, a horse was afraid and hurt a young boy aged 13-14. After landing, the pilot was informed of this and decided to transfer the boy to an hospital in Salyan. On approach to Salyan, the airplane was not properly aligned with the runway so the pilot initiated a go around when the aircraft stalled and crashed. The boy escaped unhurt, the accompanying person was slightly injured and the pilot was seriously wounded. He died from injuries sustained at the end of the afternoon.
Probable cause:
The pilot lost control of the airplane while initiating a go around procedure because the airplane' speed was insufficient.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 in Bataysk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1938 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-Sh924
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bataysk - Bataysk
MSN:
5300
YOM:
1933
Location:
Bataysk
Rostov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1422
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Bataysk on a local training mission with two pilots on board. A second U-2 registered CCCP-L956 took off shortly earlier with also two pilots on board. Sh924 was following L956 when the first aircraft slowed at a speed of 80-85 km/h so the second aircraft could approach. At a height of about 40 metres, the pilot of L956 initiated a turn when both airplanes collided and crashed in a field located 1,5 km from the airport. Two pilots survived and two others were killed.
Probable cause:
Poor organization of the training mission on part of the instructors at Bataysk Airport. Also the crew precipitated the mission and failed to maintain a safe distance while flying in formation.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 in Bataysk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1938 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L956
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bataysk - Bataysk
MSN:
7143
YOM:
1935
Location:
Bataysk
Rostov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1003
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Bataysk on a local training mission with two pilots on board. A second U-2 registered CCCP-Sh924 took off shortly later with also two pilots on board. Sh924 was following L956 when the first aircraft slowed at a speed of 80-85 km/h so the second aircraft could approach. At a height of about 40 metres, the pilot of L956 initiated a turn when both airplanes collided and crashed in a field located 1,5 km from the airport. Two pilots survived and two others were killed.
Probable cause:
Poor organization of the training mission on part of the instructors at Bataysk Airport. Also the crew precipitated the mission and failed to maintain a safe distance while flying in formation.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Novosibirsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1938 at 0315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1900
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Novosibirsk – Omsk
MSN:
9548
YOM:
1935
Location:
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
2269
Circumstances:
During the flight preparation, the pilot was informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions en route. Nevertheless, he took off from Novosibirsk Airport at 0310LT on a cargo flight to Omsk. The aircraft was also carrying a load of 184 kg of camphor. Immediately after takeoff, the airplane entered clouds and fog. The pilot continued for about five minutes when the airplane crashed in a wooded area located 7 km north of the airport. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot was not sufficiently trained and the aircraft was not equipped for a night IFR flight. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to low clouds and fog. The pilot probably lost control of the airplane after becoming disoriented.

Crash of a Putilov Stal-3 in Novoarkhangelsk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Putilov Stal-3
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1260
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kiev - Odessa
MSN:
260
YOM:
1936
Location:
Novoarkhangelsk
Kirovograd oblast
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Kiev on a flight to Odessa, carrying one passenger and two crew members. About an hour and 27 minutes into the flight, while in cruising altitude, the aircraft was approaching an area of storm when the right wing suffered a structural failure and detached. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a pasture. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the crash was an insufficient structural strength of the upper core of the fuselage frame n°3, which caused the frame to collapse under the conditions of flight in a pre-thunderstorm front and the subsequent collapse of the entire aircraft.
The following factors were identified:
- Insufficient strength of some elements of the airplane according to the conditions set by the strength standards of 1937,
- Failure of the design bureau of Plant n°81, which allowed the frame n°3 of the fuselage to have insufficient strength,
- Failure of the weather station at Kiev Airport, which did not indicate thunderstorm phenomena in the weather forecast for the Kiev - Odessa route, as it was according to the weather service sector in reality.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 in Krasnoborsk

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov PR-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2180
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kotlas – Arkhangelsk
MSN:
125
YOM:
1937
Location:
Krasnoborsk
Arkhangelsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Kotlas, at a distance of 40 km from his departure point, the pilot entered an area of thunderstorm activity. Rather than to return, he decided to continue when lightning stroke around him. Afraid and disoriented, the pilot cut off the contact and elected to make an emergency landing but finally decided to continue. As the contact was off, the magneto was not functioning so the engine failed to respond. The airplane crash landed in a field and collided with trees. Both occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-35bis in Stockholm

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-35 (ANT-35bis & PS-35)
Operator:
Registration:
URSS-M131
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Stockholm – Saint Petersburg
MSN:
02
YOM:
1937
Location:
Stockholm-Bromma
Uppland
Country:
Sweden
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the airplane was unable to rotate. It overran and came to rest against an embankment. There were no casualties and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Beriev MP-1 off Suisaari: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Beriev MP-1
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2550
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Shunga – Petrozavodsk
Location:
Suisaari
Republic of Karelia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While approaching the destination, the float plane suffered a structural failure and started to disintegrate in the air before crashing into the Lake Onega off Suisaari. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP on Mt Yafush: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1938 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-A626
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tavildara – Jirgatal
MSN:
7747
YOM:
1936
Location:
Mt Yafush
Districts of Republican Subordination
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
726
Aircraft flight cycles:
960
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Tavildara at 1347LT on a mail flight to Jirgatal with one pilot and a load of 110 kg of mail on board. After departure, the pilot deviated from the prescribed route and entered a narrow valley. After 10 km, he decided to return but while making a sharp turn to the left at a height of 25-30 metres, the airplane stalled and crashed on the slope of Mt Yafush. the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed to follow the published procedures and entered a narrow valley instead following the normal route to Jirgatal.
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