Sochi-Adler | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While cruising at an altitude of 6,100 meters on a flight from Moscow-Vnukovo Airport to Sochi-Adler Airport, the generator on engine number three failed. Debris punctured a hydraulic line and the fluid caught fire while in contact with high temperature elements of the engine. As the fire extinguishing system failed to work properly, the crew decided to shut down all three other engines and completed a gear up landing in a field. The airplane slid for several yards and came to rest. All 97 occupants were evacuated safely.

Probable cause:

Failure of the generator on engine number 3 for unknown reason. This caused the rupture of a hydraulic line and the fluid caught fire while contacting engine elements. The reason of the dysfunction of the fire extinguishing system remains unknown.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Matsesta: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 20, 1943 at 0135 LT

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3909

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sochi - Sochi

MSN:

184 11 15

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Sochi-Adler Airport at the end of the afternoon on a cargo flight, carrying various supplies for the soldiers based in Crimea. While approaching the destination, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and as all three targets area were inaccessible, the captain decided to return to Sochi. Because weather conditions worsened, it was not possible to land at Adler Airport, so the captain decided to divert to Sukhumi. The landing was refused so the crew eventually took the decision to return to Adler Airport. On approach at night, at a height of 500 metres, the airplane hit the slope of a mountain located 16 km north of the airport, near Matsesta. All six crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the crew attempted to land at Sochi-Adler in below-minima weather conditions.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- The weather forecast provided by the Adler Airport weather station was incorrect, resulting in adverse weather conditions for the aircraft on the return flight.
- The unjustified shutdown of the Direction Finder at Sukhumi Airport, which was the only means of navigation beyond visual line of sight on a complex route profile.
- The refusal of Sukhumi Airport to accept the aircraft. The commission believes that this refusal by the ground services manager was solely due to a reluctance to manage a night takeoff and the associated equipment.
- The lack of operational control from the ground regarding the aircraft's flight.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-7 in Sukhumi: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 1400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-7 (PS-7)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3759

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Kutaisi - Sochi - Elizavetinskaya

MSN:

22139

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1688

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Kutaisi Airport on a flight to the airbase of Elizavetinskaya with an intermediate stop at Sochi-Adler Airport. On board were four passengers, three crew members and a load of ammunition. Before the flight, all crew members consumed alcohol and were intoxicated upon departure from Kutaisi Airfield. Also, two passengers were on board without permission, among them the pilot's wife. During the flight, the pilot made some hazardous maneuvers at a too low altitude. The intense heat and the presence of atmospheric turbulence accentuated his degree of intoxication. After he realized it would not be possible to reach Sochi-Adler Airport, he decided to land at Sukhumi-Bubashara Airfield. On final approach, at a height of about 200 metres, he initiated a turn to the left when he lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed on a beach located one km south of the airfield. Two crew members and three passengers were killed while two others occupants were injured. The airplane was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The crew was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 near Sochi: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1943 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3508

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sochi - Maykop

MSN:

5/300

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1179

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Sochi-Adler Airport at 1400LT On a cargo flight to Maykop, carrying a load of fuel, three passengers and two crew members. About 20 minutes into the flight, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a mountainous area located 25 km north of Adler Airport. All five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas A-20 Havoc in Abinsk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1943 at 1210 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Sochi - Sochi

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Sochi-Adler Airport on a combat mission. Southwest of Krasnodar, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Abinsk. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/Lt Alexey Petrovich Karelin, pilot,
M/Lt Alexander Grigorievich Fenin, navigator,
Sgt Ivan Kipriyanovich Dedovich, radio operator,
Sgt Lev Pavlovich Melamed, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Kochyerigin PS-43 in Sochi: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1942 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Kochyerigin PS-43

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3029

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Sukhumi - Sochi

MSN:

536

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Approaching Sochi-Adler Airport at the end of the afternoon, the airplane was shot down by two German fighters and crashed. Both crew members and the passenger were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by two German fighters. It was determined that the route Sukhumi - Sochi was forbidden during the day due to enemy action in the area. To conduct such flight, a crew should be accompanied with Soviet fighters. In the present case, the pilot decided to takeoff despite the fact that no fighters were available to convoy.