Date & Time:
Jul 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
42-54011
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kirensk - Krasnoyarsk
MSN:
11346
YOM:
1943
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane was part of a Havoc formation transferred from Kirensk to Krasnoyarsk. En route, the visibility became poor because of forest fire. After three minutes in limited visibility, the pilot asked the leader to return to base but he was instructed to maintain a straight path. Nevertheless, the crew decided to modify his route, leaved the formation and continued to the south. Few minutes later, while cruising in limited visibility due to rain falls, the airplane collided with trees and crashed on hilly terrain some 10 km from Ust-Kut. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Poor decision on part of the crew who decided to continue in poor visibility without any ground reference.
