Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 off Khoe: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1941 at 1409 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1679
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski – Khabarovsk
YOM:
1935
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
563
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski on a flight to Khabarovsk, carrying two passengers, one pilot and a load of 75 kg of mail. About 14 minutes into the flight, the pilot entered an area of fog. As the visibility was poor, he reduced his altitude and descended relatively fast when he lost control of the airplane that crashed on the icy Tatar Strait, about 3 km off the village of Khoe. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot made the decision to continue the flight in difficult weather conditions, which probably exacerbated the nervous tension and the illness from which he suffered. It is likely that he lost consciousness as he began the steep descent, due to the fact that he was suffering from chronic sclerotic inflammation of the meninges, which could lead to epileptic seizures with loss of consciousness. He had lost consciousness in 1940 at Okha Airport.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-7 off Malmyzh: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2122
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky – Nizhnetambovskoye – Khabarovsk
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The float plane departed Nizhnetambovskoye at 1555LT on the final leg to Khabarovsk on a flight from Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky. The crew did not obtain any weather bulletin for en route and destination prior to takeoff. Also, several instruments such as the variometer, the path finder and the artificial horizon were unserviceable. After passing over Komsomolsk, weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds and the captain decided to reduce his altitude and to continue at a height of 150 metres. Later, stormy weather forced the pilot to lower again his altitude and eventually, he attempted to land on the Amur River. On final, he saw an island and initiated a sharp turn to the left when the left float impacted the water surface. The aircraft cartwheeled and crashed in the river off Malmyzh. A passenger and all three crew members were rescued while six other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The crew took the decision to take off without weather report being able to inform them about the conditions en route and at destination;
- The crew took the decision to start the flight whereas instruments were out of order;
- The crew decided to continue the flight after encountering poor weather conditions rather than returning to Nizhnetambovskoye;
- A pilot error during the last turn.

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

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1935 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L840
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinski – Khabarovsk
MSN:
10530
YOM:
1933
Country:
Region:
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.