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Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Doshtak: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1936 at 1850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1532
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Khorugh - Stalinabad
MSN:
7967
YOM:
1934
Location:
Doshtak
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
745
Aircraft flight cycles:
490
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Khorugh on a flight to Stalinabad with one passenger and one pilot on board. Weather conditions were considered as good. About an hours into the flight, after entering a valley, the pilot lost his bearings and was unable to locate his position. After dark, the pilot saw the lights of the city of Doshtak and elected to land when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain. The pilot was killed and the passenger was uninjured.
Probable cause:
The pilot got lost after an hour of flight as he failed to use his charts properly. A poor crew training was considered as a contributing factor.

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

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1571
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Stalinabad - Khorugh
MSN:
8555
YOM:
1934
Location:
Khorugh
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Country:
Tajikistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
682
Aircraft flight cycles:
708
Circumstances:
Following a wrong approach configuration, the pilot missed the runway and landed beside the runway in 40 cm of snow. After a course of 50 metres, the airplane overturned and came to rest upside down. The pilot was ejected from the cockpit and killed. Both passengers were injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the pilot.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP near Troitskoye: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L971
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Khabarovsk – Troitskoye – Komsomolsk-on-Amur
MSN:
7128
YOM:
1935
Location:
Troitskoye
Khabarovsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Khabarovsk on a mail flight to Komsomolsk-on-Amur with an intermediate stop in Troitskoye. On the second leg, he encountered unfavorable winds and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a swampy area. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft was found. On 13 April 1938, the wreckage was found by hunters some 52 km from the Khungari River estuary.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the pilot encountered unfavorable winds and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a swampy area. The pilot apparently survived the accident but it is possible that he was killed by hunters.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 off Posolskoye: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1935 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1555
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Irkutsk – Ulan-Ude – Mogocha
MSN:
8259
YOM:
1934
Location:
Posolskoye
Republic of Buryatia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Irkutsk Airport on a cargo flight to Mogocha, carrying one passenger, one pilot and a load of 230 kg of various goods. En route, the engine caught fire an the pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed on the ice of Lake Baïkal, some 10 km west of Posolskoye. SAR operations were initiated three days later only. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire and both occupants were not found. Some foot print were found on ice and snow but both occupants were later considered as deceased.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight, maybe following the failure of a fuel supply or a malfunction of the carburetor.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 on Mt Kyzyltas: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1935 at 2155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1980
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Balkhash – Karaganda
MSN:
10109
YOM:
1935
Location:
Mt Kyzyltas
Karagandy
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
107
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Balkash Airport at 1500LT on a schedule service to Karaganda, carrying three passengers, one pilot and mail. En route, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to snow falls and fog. Instead of returning to Balkhash, the pilot decided to continue. Flying at night, the pilot flew for almost four hours in difficult conditions when the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Kyzyltas located some 190 km north of Balkash, in the region of Aktogay. In the evening, the manager of the Balkhach Airport received a message confirming that the plane landed at Karaganda, which was wrong. It took two days for the Authorities to realize this information was erroneous. The wreckage was eventually found on the slope of the mountain. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a navigation error on part of the pilot who was exhausted after flying nearly seven hours in difficult flying conditions (fog, snowfall, night and rough terrain).
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The aircraft departed Balkhach Airport at 1500LT for a 2 hours and 40 minutes flight, giving an ETA in Karaganda at 1740LT when the sunset was scheduled at 1716LT,
- The aircraft was not certified to fly at night,
- The pilot was only allowed to carry passengers during daylight hours and in good weather conditions only,
- The pilot made the wrong decision by continuing the flight when he should have turned back when he encountered bad weather conditions (fog and snow),
- The pilot was overconfident,
- The pilot obtained weather bulletins for both departure and arrival airports but no information about the conditions en route.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Arsen'evo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1935 at 0340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1902
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow - Kharkiv
MSN:
9563
YOM:
1935
Location:
Arsen'evo
Tula 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:
478
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Moscow Airport at 2305LT on September 26, one hour beyond the schedule ETD, on a night mail flight to Kharkiv. While cruising at night between the cities of Tula and Orel, the pilot lost his bearings because the light beacon was not functioning. It was later determined that the light beacons between Tula and Orel were out of service after midnight. After more than four hours of flight, the pilot attempted an emergency landing when he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located in Arsen'evo. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a loss of control while flying at night without sufficient visual cues. The operations cleared the pilot to complete the flight while the light beacons were unserviceable on the leg from Tula to Orel. Also, the pilot was totally inexperienced in night flight which was considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Junkers F.13 near Faizobod: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1935 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers F.13
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L19
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Stalinabad - Garm
MSN:
2036
YOM:
1930
Location:
Faizobod
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:
2329
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Stalinabad Airport on a cargo flight to Garm, carrying one pilot and a load consisting of bottles of alcohol. After departure, the pilot encountered difficulties to gain sufficient height and while approaching mountainous terrain, he entered clouds. While in a valley, he attempted to make a 180 turn when the airplane impacted ground and crashed some 12-15 km southwest of Faizobod. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot failed to gain sufficient altitude while climbing in clouds over mountainous terrain.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The pilot failed to comply with the minimum safe altitude fixed at 2,500 metres for the area,
- Upon takeoff, the total weight of the aircraft was 41 kg above MTOW, which affected the aircraft's performances,
- Poor flight supervision.

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

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1935 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1890
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow – Kuybyshev – Orenburg – Tashkent
MSN:
9480
YOM:
1935
Location:
Syrt
Orenburg 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:
167
Aircraft flight cycles:
113
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Moscow on a postal flight to Tashkent with intermediate stops in Kuybyshev and Orenburg. On the leg to Orenburg, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and heavy rain falls. He decided to continue, descended to an altitude of about 400-500 metres when control was lost. The aircraft crashed in a wheat field located 4 km south of the village of Syrt, some 40 km northwest of Orenburg Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control while flying in stormy weather and turbulences.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Poor flight preparation as the pilot departed Kuybyshev Airport without any information about weather conditions at destination,
- Decision of the pilot to continue in unfavorable weather conditions rather than to return to Kuybyshev or to land asap.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Tokmok: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1905
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Karakol – Frunze
MSN:
9467
YOM:
1935
Location:
Tokmok
Chuy Province
Country:
Kyrgyzstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
170
Aircraft flight cycles:
83
Circumstances:
In the morning, the pilot successfully completed a flight from Frunze to Karakol with two passengers and mail. In the early afternoon, he wanted to return to Frunze but weather conditions en route were not good. Hurry to return, he departed Karakol at 1300LT but the airplane failed to arrive in Frunze. The wreckage was found 35 km southeast of Tokmok, at an altitude of 2,800 metres, in the valley of Chon-Almaly. It was determined that the visibility was poor due to ceiling down to 1,000 metres and rain falls.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following the decision of the pilot to continue the flight in unfavorable weather conditions and restricted visibility. Instead of returning to Karakol, the pilot decided to find a route in the clouds until the airplane impacted ground. Poor flight organization was a contributing factor.
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