Date & Time:
Nov 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
41-3319
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Seymchan - Yakutsk
MSN:
5649
YOM:
1941
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Seymchan on a flight to Yakutsk with a crew of three on board. It was part of a group of three Havoc transferred to Yakutsk. En route, weather conditions deteriorated with icing. A first airplane diverted to Oymyakon, a second landed safely in Yakutsk and 41-3319 crashed in a mountains area near Arkagala. The pilot and the radio operator were killed in the airplane and the dead body of the navigator was later found few km from the crash site after he bailed out.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the pilot attempted an emergency landing in hilly terrain while flying in poor weather conditions with a limited visibility due to snow falls. While cruising in icing conditions, the crew failed to activate the deicing equipment and did not activate the heating system for the Pitot tube and the carburetor. The failure of the speed indicator, engine vibrations and airframe icing forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing.
