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 Kalinin K-5 in Göyçay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1933 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L481
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Baku - Tiflis
MSN:
216
YOM:
1932
Location:
Göyçay
Aran
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
183
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Baku on a regular service to Tiflis (Tbilisi), carrying three passengers and two crew members. En route to Ganzhda and Yevlakh, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He reduced his altitude in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground and followed the railway line. Approaching Göyçay, at a height below 30 metres, he realized he was facing trees so he initiated a sharp turn to the right when the aircraft impacted poplar trees. The right wing was partially torn off and the aircraft crashed. A female passenger was injured while four other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Overconfidence and lack of discipline on part of the captain who decided to continue the flight at a too low and unsafe altitude in poor visibility due to foggy conditions.

Crash of a Kalinin K-4 in Novopavlovsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1932 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-4
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L228
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kharkiv – Mineralnye Vody – Tbilisi
MSN:
116
YOM:
1929
Location:
Novopavlovsk
Stavropol Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
539
Circumstances:
The crew departed Kharkiv to ferry the airplane to its base in Tiflis with an intermediate stop in Mineralnye Vody. After takeoff from Mineralnye Vody Airport, the crew climbed to an altitude of 300-350 metres then continued to the southeast, following the railway track. About 20 minutes into the flight, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to fog. Rather than returning to Mineralnye Vody, the captain decided to continue and reduced his altitude. He continued vertical to the railway line, sometimes to its left sometimes to its right. Too low, the airplane struck the ground and crashed near the Apollonskaya Station in Novopavlovsk. One mechanic was seriously injured while both other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the decision of the captain to continue the flight at low altitude in poor visibility due to fog rather than returning to Mineralnye Vody for a safe landing. It was determined that the information transmitted to the crew regarding the weather forecast were not relevant and were thus considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Kalinin K-4 in Baku: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1930 at 1610 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-4
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-225
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tbilisi - Baku
MSN:
113
YOM:
1929
Location:
Baku
Absheron
Country:
Azerbaijan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
468
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Tiflis (Tbilisi), the crew initiated the descent to Baku at dusk. On final, in total obscurity, the airplane was too low when it collided with a telegraphic pole and crashed one km from the airport. The mechanic survived while three other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The decision of the captain to continue the approach at dusk (poor visibility) followed by a loss of orientation. The decision of the company to allow the crew to leave Tiflis while it was obviously too late.

Crash of a Junkers F.13 in Tbilissi: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1925
Type of aircraft:
Junkers F.13
Operator:
Zakavia
Registration:
RR-ECA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tbilisi - Sukhumi
MSN:
590
YOM:
1920
Location:
Tbilisi
Tbilisi City District
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Tbilisi Airport, the single engine aircraft went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. All five occupants were killed, among them three official of the Georgian Government en route to a Soviet Congress in Sukhumi.
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