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Crash of a Savoia S.55 near Lazarev: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1935 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti S.55
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L840
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski – Khabarovsk
MSN:
10530
YOM:
1933
Location:
Lazarev
Khabarovsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The float plane departed Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski at 1040LT on a flight to Khabarovsk, carrying nine passengers and three crew members. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with reduced visibility. At 1158LT, the crew requested the last weather bulletin when radio communications were cut, about two minutes later. Too low, the airplane impacted high pine trees and crashed in a wooded area located in hilly terrain, some 80 metres below the summit. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 12 occupants was found. The wreckage was found by hunters in September 1935, some 67 km from Lazarev. A watch relatively intact was found on site, indicating 1200LT. In 2016, human remains were repatriated and buried in a cemetery in Khabarovsk.
Crew:
Alexander Svetogorov, pilot,
Mr. Efremov, radio operator,
Mr. Stychenko, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Anton Vasilievich Sheremetiev,
Stepan Shchetinin,
Mr. Baraksin,
Mrs. Baraksin + one infant,
Mr. Granovsky,
Mrs. Dokuchaev,
Mr. Kornyshen,
Mr. Mednis.

Source: http://amurmedia.ru/story/savoya/
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain while cruising at an unsafe altitude in limited visibility.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 on Mt Kazbek: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1935 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1734
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mineralnye Vody – Tiflis
MSN:
9502
YOM:
1935
Location:
Mt Kazbek
Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
184
Aircraft flight cycles:
143
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Mineralnye Vody on a mail flight to Tiflis, Georgia, with two crew members on board. After passing the Krestovy Pass, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The pilot elected to return to Mineralnye Vody and initiated a turn. Shortly later, he lost his orientation and thinking he already passed the highest mountain, he initiated the descent when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain part of the Mt Kazbek, about 7 km southeast of the summit (5,047 metres). The wreckage was found at an altitude of 4,000 metres and both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot got lost while cruising in reduced visibility due to foggy conditions and rain.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Ivanovka: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-Sh913
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Balashov - Saratov
MSN:
9070
YOM:
1934
Location:
Ivanovka
Saratov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
67
Aircraft flight cycles:
204
Circumstances:
The crew consisting of two cadets departed Balashov Airport on a training flight to Saratov. Prior to takeoff at 0900LT, the crew was instructed not to enter clouds and not flying below the minimum altitude of 300 metres. After takeoff from Balashov Airport, bound for the south, the aircraft entered clouds. The pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near the village of Ivanovka, some 20 km south of the Balashov Airport. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a loss of control while flying in clouds. The pilot, a cadet, was inexperienced in such flight conditions. Poor flight preparation and supervision.

Crash of a Putilov Stal-2 in Slobodshikovo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1935 at 1405 LT
Type of aircraft:
Putilov Stal-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1170
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Arkhangelsk – Kotlas – Syktyvkar
MSN:
170
YOM:
1934
Location:
Slobodshikovo
Arkhangelsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a schedule service from Arkhangelsk to Syktyvkar with an intermediate stop in Kotlas, carrying one passenger and two crew members. The crew departed Kotlas at 1240LT on the final leg to Syktyvkar. Approaching the village of Korovinskaya, the pilot encountered sudden heavy snow falls for a period of time of about 15-20 minutes. The visibility was very poor and the pilot decided not to return and continued in such conditions. Few minutes later, while cruising in a flat attitude in white conditions, the airplane impacted ground and crashed one km southeast of Slobodshikovo. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following the pilot's decision to continue the flight at an insufficient altitude in reduced visibility due to heavy snow falls while it would have been better to fly back to Kotlas.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1935 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1057
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sverdlovsk – Yanaul – Kazan – Moscow
MSN:
6259
YOM:
1933
Location:
Kazan
Republic of Tatarstan
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 Sverdlovsk Airport on a mail/cargo flight to Moscow with intermediate stops in Yanaul and Kazan. After passing the night in Yanaul, he departed Yanaul bound for Kazan. Upon arrival, weather conditions worsened with limited visibility due to fog. At a height of about 70-80 metres on approach, the airplane collided with a 105 metres high radio antenna. The left fuel tank was punched and a fire erupted. The airplane continued for a distance of 200 metres then crashed in a field, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a collision at low altitude and in poor visibility with the mast of a radio antenna.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Marginal weather conditions at destination with 8-10 octas at 300-600 metres altitude, wind from the south at 15-25 km/h, fog with 500 metres visibility,
- The pilot was cleared for takeoff despite the weather conditions at destination were considered as poor,
- The pilot has not been informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions at destination,
- The pilot was freshly licensed, inexperienced and flew this route for the first time,
- The pilot descended below the minimum safe altitude of 100 metres.

Crash of a Kalinin K-5 near Dnipropetrovsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1935 at 1213 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L619
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kryvyi Rih – Dnipropetrovsk
MSN:
116
YOM:
1931
Location:
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
447
Circumstances:
The crew completed a mail/cargo flight from Dnipropetrovsk to Kryvyi Rih in the morning. At 1035LT, the crew departed Kryvyi Rih on the return empty leg to Dnipropetrovsk. While approaching the destination, the crew encountered thick fog with very limited visibility. The pilot reduced his altitude, probably to maintain a visual contact with the ground, when the airplane impacted with its right wing the metallic pylon of a high tension line (160,000 volts). The airplane lost height and crashed. The mechanic was injured and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a collision with a metallic pylon while the pilot was flying at an unsafe altitude in bad visibility. It was determined that the crew departed both Dnipropetrovsk and Kryvyi Rih Airport without any weather bulletin. Also, they were cleared for takeoff without such information. The people in charge to transmit weather bulletin prior to departure failed to do so.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Aktyubinsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1522
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Guryev – Aktyubinsk
MSN:
8004
YOM:
1934
Location:
Aktyubinsk
Aktobe
Country:
Kazakhstan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
323
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Guryev Airport around 1300-1400LT on a flight to Aktyubinsk, carrying one engineer and one pilot, violating several rules. En route, weather conditions worsened and the pilot encountered poor visibility (around 1 km) due to snow falls. While cruising over an oil field, he lost his bearings and failed to locate his position. He initiated a sharp turn to the right, apparently to return, when the airplane impacted ground and crashed. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a sharp turn at low height in poor weather conditions.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The pilot was cleared for takeoff despite the weather conditions en route were considered as poor,
- The pilot's licence was expired,
- The CofA was not on board,
- The temporary certificate was late for more than two months.

Crash of a Kalinin K-5 in Ananino: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 25, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L544
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Yanaul – Sverdlovsk
MSN:
34
YOM:
1930
Location:
Ananino
Sverdlovsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
94
Circumstances:
The crew departed Yanaul at 1000LT on a schedule service to Sverdlovsk. En route, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was very low due to thick fog. Approaching the village of Ananino, the airplane passed over houses at a height of about 4 metres. Then the pilot initiated a turn when the airplane stalled and crashed in a field outside the village. The airplane was destroyed and the mechanic was killed. Seriously injured, the pilot was transferred to a local hospital but he died few hours later.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a stall during a turn initiated at low height because the airplane' speed was too low. The Chief of the Yanaul Airport authorized the pilot to start the flight despite the weather conditions en route were considered as poor. Also, the weather bulletins transmitted to the crew were incorrects and conflicting.

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

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1934 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov P-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L786
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Irkutsk – Krasnoyarsk
MSN:
5683
YOM:
1932
Location:
Kaduy
Irkutsk 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:
341
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Irkutsk at 1440LT on a mail flight to Krasnoyarsk. After passing over Nizhneudinsk, he encountered poor weather conditions with blizzard and heavy snow falls. He reduced his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground and elected to return to Nizhneudinsk. At a height of about 20 metres, the airplane impacted the top of a larch tree with its right wing, continued for about 50 metres then crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The accident resulted from an impact with trees while cruising at low altitude through poor visibility due to bad weather conditions. It was determined that the pilot was cleared to takeoff from Irkutsk despite the weather conditions en route were unfavorable. Also, the pilot was inexperienced in instrument flights.
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