On December 4, 1945, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration CCCP-L950) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Novosibirsk, Russia during landing or approach. 16 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident resulted from initiating an approach in conditions below minima due to inaccurate weather information and ground communication issues, leading to a collision with a radio transmitter. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Aircraft crashed during final approach to Novosibirsk due to collision with radio transmitter in poor weather, resulting in the deaths of all 16 occupants.
What happened
The incident occurred during a nighttime descent to Novosibirsk Airport under adverse meteorological conditions characterized by low cloud cover and fog. As the aircraft executed its final approach, it descended to an altitude of approximately 50 meters above ground level. At this point, the right wing made contact with a radio transmitter structure. The impact resulted in the partial shearing off of the wing, leading to the loss of control and a subsequent crash into the terrain. All 16 occupants aboard the aircraft perished in the accident.
Findings
Investigative reports indicated that the meteorological data provided to the flight crew did not accurately reflect the actual weather conditions at the time of the approach. Consequently, the descent was initiated below the established minimums for safe operation. Additionally, technical failures within the ground communication systems were identified as a contributing factor to the sequence of events leading up to the collision.
Probable cause
The accident resulted from initiating an approach in conditions below minima due to inaccurate weather information and ground communication issues, leading to a collision with a radio transmitter.
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