Republic of North Ossetia | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On final approach to Mozdok AFB, the crew encountered bad weather conditions with heavy snow falls when the aircraft struck the ground and crashed 450 metres short of runway. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DL on Mt Guram: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1946

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L924

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tbilisi – Rostov-on-Don

MSN:

9429

YOM:

1943

Location:

Mt Guram

Republic of North Ossetia

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1864

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Tbilisi Airport, the crew decided to modify his route without any coordination with ATC. Shortly later, while flying over the Caucasian mountains in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Guram. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Rostov, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was located by walkers on July 20, 1947, at an altitude of 3,000 meters.

Probable cause:

At the time of the accident, the aircraft was off track by 93 km relating to the flight plan that was filed. The accident resulted in a controlled flight into terrain as the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain range in poor visibility.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Mozdok

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov PR-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2519

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Grozny – Mineralnye Vody

MSN:

166

YOM:

1938

Location:

Mozdok

Republic of North Ossetia

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane was engaged in a cargo flight from Grozny to Mineralnye Vody. After takeoff, the pilot realized that the mountains were shrouded in clouds so he modified his route and flew to Gudermes and Mozdok. Approaching Mozdok, he encountered low clouds and decided to return when the airplane collided with a meteo antenna and crashed. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of the following factors:
- Violation of the published procedures on part of the pilot,
- The pilot modified his route,
- The decision of the pilot to return was taken too late.