Date & Time:
Apr 24, 1948 at 1440 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4460
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kirensk – Bodaibo
MSN:
37 04
YOM:
31
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
24
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
28
Aircraft flight hours:
310
Circumstances:
Approaching Bodaibo, the crew lost his orientation due to low visibility caused by poor weather conditions (snow falls). The captain decided to reduce his altitude and followed the Vitim River to join Bodaibo Airport at a height of 100 meters. The aircraft hit the water surface and crashed in a huge explosion into the river off Mamakan, about 13 km southwest of Bodaibo. A passenger was injured and rescued while all 28 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred in flight conditions that were below published minima. It was reported that the weather prediction were not efficient and did not reflect the truth. The pilot took the wrong decision to continue and to descent in such poor weather conditions.
