Aircraft
The aircraft involved was an Ilyushin Il-14P, registered SP-LNF, with factory number 6341607 and serial number 16-07, manufactured in 1956. It was powered by two Shvetsov ASh-82T engines. The flight crew comprised pilot-in-command Władysław Snacki, co-pilot Mieczysław Pląder, flight engineer Marian Siemieniak, radio operator Michał Łukaszewicz, and flight attendant Ewa Fedorowska.
Accident
Flight 232 was a regular service from Warsaw-Okęcie Airport to Moscow Vnukovo Airport. On 14 June 1957, the aircraft departed with eight passengers, five crew, and 819 kg of mail and cargo. Passengers included citizens of the United States, China, and Albania, along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia. The flight was routine until radio contact was lost after leaving Vilna, Lithuania at 6 p.m.
The weather forecast indicated visibility of 4 km, wind 18 km/h from 300°, cloudy with six to eight oktas of cloud cover at 600 m. Communication with Vnukovo ATC was established, and the crew was instructed to descend due to stormy weather. Over Klimentievo at 400 m altitude, the crew reported sighting the ground. ATC cleared them to descend to 300 m and continue. At 11:07 p.m., the pilots were cleared for an instrument approach using the prescribed procedure.
Despite acknowledging the clearance, the pilot did not comply and descended to a very low altitude. At 11:10 p.m., the aircraft struck the ground, destroying it. Five passengers and four crew members died, including the Mongolian foreign minister and several American travelers. Flight attendant Fedorowska and three passengers survived, with the three passengers severely injured. Three American journalists at the scene assisted in rescue, extricating people from the wreckage and carrying them to an ambulance.
Weather at the time was described as very low ceiling, heavy turbulence, distant lightning, and driving rain. Forecasts from both departure and destination airports predicted better conditions than what occurred.
Cause
Investigation began on 15 June by Polish and Soviet experts. The aircraft was found to be in appropriate technical condition, with engines functioning adequately. The wreckage indicated a high-speed impact with engine power exceeding normal operating levels. The crew had sufficient experience and knowledge of the Il-14, and necessary charts were onboard.
The probable cause was stated as: "The aircraft hit the ground while flying at an excessively low altitude following the crew's application of an approach procedure other than that prescribed by Vnukovo Aerodrome. The bad weather conditions which set in during the night and were not forecast in the messages had their influence on the disastrous end of the flight."