Volgograd oblast | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The four-engine aircraft was on its way back to Germany to evacuate German soldiers wounded in the Stalingrad Battle. It crashed on take off for unknown reason. Five crew members and 40 soldiers were killed in the accident.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Stalingrad: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1942 at 0400 LT

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3921

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Stalingrad - Stalingrad

MSN:

184 12 12

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew left Stalingrad-Tsentralny Airport at 0310LT on a supply mission to Zhirkov, beyond the enemy line, with a cargo consisting of ammunition. After thirty minutes of flight, the crew dropped the ammunition and returned to his base when the aircraft was shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire and crashed in a field. All six crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by antiaircraft fire.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Akchernskiy: 14 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1941 at 1735 LT

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3488

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Voronezh – Uryupinsk

MSN:

184 11 05

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

455

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Voronezh at 1610LT bound for Uryupinsk, carrying six crew members, eight passengers and a load of 1,100 kilos of leaflets that should be dropped beyond the enemy line. The estimated time of arrival in Uryupinsk was 1655LT, 13 minutes before dusk. While approaching Uryupinsk, the crew encountered light snow falls with a visibility of 2 km and a ceiling between 300 and 600 metres. As the crew missed the airport, the airplane deviated from the prescribed path and continued to the south. Eventually, the pilot attempted to land at night in a field when the airplane crashed two km south of Akchernskiy, some 20 km south of Uryupinsk, bursting into flames. The airplane was totally destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew failed to use the radionavigation system (especially a long waves radio compas) at their disposition and for unknown reason, the pilot continued the flight at an insufficient height. Poor piloting techniques, lack of discipline and successive mistakes on part of the crew were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of Polikarpov AP in Chernyshkovsky: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-A1289

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Spraying (Agricultural)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Chernyshkovsky - Chernyshkovsky

MSN:

16618

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a spraying mission on mustard plantation in the region of Chernyshkovsky. After the lunch brake, the pilot decided to make low passes over the village and to show to local people the airplane's capabilities. At a height of 10-12 metres, he initiated hazardous manoeuvres when he lost control of the airplane that crashed on the ground, bursting into flames. The mechanic was seriously injured and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the pilot was intoxicated after drinking vodka during the lunch. He also decided to initiate a flight without prior permission.

Crash of a Polikarpov AP in Nizhne Volzhsky: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1933 at 0700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-A196

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Nizhne Volzhsky - Nizhne Volzhsky

MSN:

3434

YOM:

1932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

105

Aircraft flight cycles:

Circumstances:

Following several crop spraying flights during the day, the pilot elected to make a test flight with a mechanic before the aircraft would be transferred to Kotelnikovo. After takeoff, the pilot continued at a height of about 100-150 metres then completed some turns before the aircraft started to descent. While turning at an angle of 40-45°, the airplane lost height and crashed nose first. Both occupants were seriously injured and the pilot died from his injuries less than an hour later.

Probable cause:

The pilot initiated an unauthorized test flight and completed sharp turns at a too low altitude and insufficient speed, causing the aircraft to stall and crash.