Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the village of Olomna, about 91 km southeast of Leningrad. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Polikarpov S-3 in Dovgenke: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-A642

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

7763

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Dovgenke. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP in Krymky: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2700

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

13017

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Krymky. The pilot and a passenger were killed while a second passenger was injured.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Uka: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1942 at 1315 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov PR-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3355

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Ust-Bolsheretsk – Ust-Kamchatsk – Tilichiki

MSN:

243

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

347

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Ust-Bolsheretsk on a flight to Tilichiki, carrying three crew members and two people from the Soviet Communist Party. After a flight of two hours and 30 minutes, the airplane landed in Ust-Kamchatsk where the crew passed the overnight. At the airport, the crew consumed alcohol and failed to sleep enough time. The next day, on March 12, the airplane took off at noon for Tilichiki despite the pilot was not fit. At 1241LT, the radio operator informed ground that he passed Ozernaya at an altitude of 1,500 metres. Half an hour later, while cruising in good weather conditions, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the taiga about 22 km north of the village of Uka. The wreckage was found the next day and all five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the pilot may fall asleep or lost consciousness during flight, probably due to a lack of sleep and/or intoxication.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-7 in Russia

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-7 (PS-7)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3752

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

22179

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. In clouds, the pilot elected to return to the departure airport and initiated a turn to the left when the left wing hit the ground. The airplane cartwheeled and crashed. All four occupants were injured and transferred in Moscow for treatment.

Crash of a Tupolev G-2 on Mt Nuratau: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1942 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-6 (TB-3 & G-2)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1497

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Urganch - Tashkent

MSN:

22 524

YOM:

1937

Location:

Mt Nuratau

Jizzakh Province (Jizzax viloyati)

Country:

Uzbekistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2571

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Urganch Airport at 1400LT on a flight to Tashkent, carrying 12 adult passengers, one child, five members of the Uzbek Civil Aviation and five crew members. Due to atmospheric interferences, it was difficult to establish communication with the crew. Nevertheless, a last message was recorded at 1626LT. It seems the airplane crashed half an hour later, at 1700LT. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was later found about 100 metres below the summit of Mt Nuratau (800 metres high) located about 60 km northwest of Jizzakh. The airplane was destroyed and all 23 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. However, it is believed that the accident may have been the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain following the decision of the pilot to continue the flight in marginal weather conditions. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course due to unfavorable winds and the visibility was poor due to clouds.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP in Maloyaroslavets: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2595

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

12944

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Maloyaroslavets. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 in Kabul

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1942 at 1745 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov PR-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2495

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

136

YOM:

1938

Location:

Kabul

Country:

Afghanistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Kabul Airport at night, the airplane crashed in a snow cover field and was destroyed. Both occupants were injured and the diplomatic mail was damaged.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 off Sestroretsk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-P575

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

0575

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at night, the pilot got lost and the airplane crash landed on the icy Gulf of Finland off Sestroretsk. The airplane was destroyed and both occupants were not found.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Gryadki: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1942

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3996

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While taking off from the Gryadki Airstrip, the airplane collided with a second GVF PS-84 registered CCCP-L3497 and crashed. Two crew members were killed, a third was injured and three others escaped unhurt. The airplane was damaged beyond repair while the second was repaired.