Date & Time:
May 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Seymchan - Yakutsk
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:
A group of three Douglas A-20A Havoc departed Seymchan on a flight to Yakutsk despite unfavorable weather conditions and without suitable communication with the ground. After passing Oymiakon, the crew continued in clouds at an altitude of 15,000 feet. Approaching Khandyga, the cloud layer became thick and the pilot decided to modify his route, heading 270° to 300°. About 25 minutes later, thinking he was flying vertical to the Aldan River, the pilot elected to reduce his altitude when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain and crashed. All three crew members were killed. The wreckage was found by a a reindeer herder in May 1983 at coordinated 64° 6' N 133° 18' E, some 130 km west of Topolinoye. Both other airplanes landed safely in Yakutsk.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain while flying in clouds.
