Velikiye Luki | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On final approach to Leningrad-Rzhevka Airport, at a speed of 165 km/h, the right engine failed. The crew initiated a go-around maneuver and elected to feather the right propeller without success. The aircraft banked right to an angle of 25° then nosed down to an angle of 30° and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 500 meters short of runway threshold. The wreckage was found 550 meters to the right of the runway extended centerline. The aircraft was partially destroyed by a post crash fire and while four passengers were seriously injured, all 10 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine on final approach due to the destruction of the camshaft.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Ruza

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1941

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3464

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

Schedule:

Velikiye Luki - Moscow

MSN:

8 5 13

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

The airplane was en route from Velikiye Luki to Moscow, carrying 19 wounded soldiers and a crew of three. En route, it was attacked three times by the pilot of a German fighter and caught fire. The crew reduced his altitude and made an emergency landing in an open field near Ruza. All 22 occupants evacuated and the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
N. Andreyev +2.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Velikiye Luki: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1941

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3939

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Velikiye Luki

MSN:

4 05

YOM:

1940

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The airplane departed Moscow on a cargo flight to Velikiye Luki, carrying four crew members and a load of ammunition. On approach to Velikiye Luki, it was shot down by four German fighters and crashed, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
L. N. Meglitski +3.

Probable cause:

Shot down by four German fighters.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Nemirovo: 9 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1936 at 1838 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-9 (PS-9)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-D311

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Berlin – Königsberg – Velikiye Luki – Moscow

MSN:

160

YOM:

1933

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The airplane named 'Yastreb' departed Berlin on a regular schedule flight to Moscow with intermediate stop in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) and Velikiye Luki, Tver oblast. After two Japanese citizens get on board, the aircraft departed Velikiye Luki Airport at 1626LT on the final leg to Moscow-Bykovo Airport. The crew continued the flight at an altitude of 200 metres with regular radio communications with ATC. After passing Rzhev, the crew continued at night and the visibility was limited. At an altitude of 140 metres, the airplane collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area located in Nemirovo, some 27 km southwest of Volokolamsk. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain after the decision of the crew to continue the flight at at unsafe altitude of 140 metres, causing the aircraft to collide with trees near Nemirovo, the highest point of the area. The total weight of the aircraft was high because the crew made full fuel at Velikiye Luki Airport, which was considered as aggravating circumstances as well as the absence of radio navigation en route.