Postal (mail) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was returning to his base following a mail flight. While cruising in poor visibility at night, the crew was unable to locate their airport. After a four hours-flight, the crew abandoned the airplane that crashed beyond the enemy line. Both crew members were uninjured.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Bryukhovetskaya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-F89

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Simferopol - Moscow

MSN:

9388

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Simferopol on a mail flight to Moscow, carrying two passengers and one pilot. En route, the pilot descended too low over terrain, causing the undercarriage to struck the ground. The airplane then hit two people working in the field and crashed 66 metres further, bursting into flames. Both passengers were seriously injured while the pilot and two people on the ground were killed. One of the passenger died from injuries sustained the following day.

Probable cause:

The pilot continued the flight at a too low (unsafe) altitude, causing the airplane to touch the ground and to crash.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.91 Albatross in Reykjavik

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1941 at 2017 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.91 Albatross

Operator:

Registration:

AX903

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Bristol – Reykjavik

MSN:

6800

YOM:

1938

Location:

Reykjavik

Capital Region (Höfuðborgarsvæði)

Country:

Iceland

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane named 'Faraday' departed Bristol-Filton Airport on a mail flight to Reykjavik, carrying five crew members and the military mail. After touchdown, one of the undercarriage collapsed. The airplane veered off runway and collided with a parked Fairey Battle registered L5547. The Albatross was damaged beyond repair and all five crew members escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage collapsed after landing.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Kalinin

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-F95

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9384

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying at low height, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near Kalinin (now Tver). The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was injured.

Probable cause:

Loss of control due to lack of discipline on part of the pilot.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Bryansk

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-F165

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

7359

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed upon landing somewhere near Bryansk. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 near Gosh

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2986

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9380

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in the region of Gosh, some 74 km northeast of Yerevan. The pilot was rescued and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Mestia

Date & Time: May 18, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2988

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Kutaisi - Mestia

MSN:

5777

YOM:

1932

Location:

Mestia

Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti

Country:

Georgia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an error on part of the pilot, the airplane crashed upon landing at Mestia Airport. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.

Probable cause:

Pilot error.

Crash of a Junkers JU.,52/mte near Pec pod Sněžkou: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

DE+IH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

6670

YOM:

1940

Location:

Pec pod Sněžkou

Hradec Králové Region (Královéhradecký kraj)

Country:

Czech Republic

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was completing a mail flight on behalf of the Kurierstaffel 110 when it crashed in hilly terrain near Petzer (now Pec pod Sněžkou). Three crew members were killed and a fourth was injured.
Crew:
Fw Hilbig, pilot, †
Gefr Ernst Beins, radio operator, †
Fw Herman Schulze1, radio operator, †
Uffz Otto Fritsche, mechanic.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41bis in Oktyabrskaya: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1941 at 1505 LT

Type of aircraft:

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

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3505

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Leningrad - Moscow

MSN:

2/300

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

260

Circumstances:

Prior to takeoff from Leningrad, the pilot was informed about weather conditions and instructed to fly not above 600 metres. The airplane departed Leningrad Airport at 1320LT on a mail flight to Moscow with two crew members on board. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot was forced to return due to an oil leak on the right tank. After repairs, the airplane took off again at 1435LT. The pilot continued at an altitude of 500-600 metres when the airplane entered clouds. Due to turbulence, the pilot decided to climb until 2,500 metres then 3,000 metres. Later, while descending, the airplane' speed increased from 270 km/h to 400 km/h and it became unstable. The flight engineer has been shaken from left to right and tried to get a radio contact with the pilot. As this was unsuccessful, he abandoned the airplane and bailed out. He was later found uninjured. The airplane continued its descent and the pilot also attempted to bail out but this was too late. His parachute failed to open in time and he was killed. The airplane crashed in a wooded area located in Oktyabrskaya, some 100 km east of Leningrad and was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Lack of discipline on part of the pilot who disregarded the instructions related to the max altitude to respect and his decision to fly against the published procedures.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Trostyanka

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1941

Type of aircraft:

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

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3530

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moscow – Kuybyshev – Almaty

MSN:

3/215

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Kyubyshev to Almaty, the crew encountered technical problems and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a pasture located in Trostyanka, about 70 km east of Kuybyshev. The crew was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.