Tula oblast | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While on a ferry flight from Moscow to Tula, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Tula Airport. After touchdown, the three engine airplane veered off runway, lost its left engine and came to rest. The crew was uninjured.

Crash of a Tupolev PS-41 in Sinegubovo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1940 at 0708 LT

Type of aircraft:

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

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3529

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow – Kharkiv – Mineralnye Vody

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Moscow at 0605LT on a cargo flight to Mineralnye Vody with an intermediate stop in Kharkiv, carrying three crew members. The pilot continued at an altitude of 300 metres and at a speed of 290 km/h when weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds and rain falls. Without any radio contact with the ground to obtain a weather briefing, the crew continued to the south and passed over Tula at 0653LT. Shortly later, the crew encountered foggy conditions and was unable to locate his position so the captain decided to return. Flying to low in fog, the airplane impacted trees at a speed of 220 km/h and crashed into a ravine. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the decision of the pilot to continue in poor visibility. His decision to return was taken too late and he was flying at an unsafe altitude. At the time of the accident, one of the engine was not functioning for reason that could not be determined, the propeller was windmilling at impact. Nevertheless, this was not considered was a contributing factor.

Crash of a Polikarpov P-5 in Arsen'evo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1935 at 0340 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov P-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L1902

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Kharkiv

MSN:

9563

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

478

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Moscow Airport at 2305LT on September 26, one hour beyond the schedule ETD, on a night mail flight to Kharkiv. While cruising at night between the cities of Tula and Orel, the pilot lost his bearings because the light beacon was not functioning. It was later determined that the light beacons between Tula and Orel were out of service after midnight. After more than four hours of flight, the pilot attempted an emergency landing when he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located in Arsen'evo. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a loss of control while flying at night without sufficient visual cues. The operations cleared the pilot to complete the flight while the light beacons were unserviceable on the leg from Tula to Orel. Also, the pilot was totally inexperienced in night flight which was considered as contributing factors.