Douglas DC-3 accident at Mt Găină, Romania, 23 Aug 1940 (YR-PIF)
On August 23, 1940, a Douglas DC-3 (registration YR-PIF) operated by Liniile Aeriene Române Exploatate cu Statul - LARES was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Găină, Romania in flight. 11 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: According to officials, the accident was caused by a navigational error on the part of the crew, widely favored by poor weather conditions and the lack of sufficient visibility. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
Probable cause
According to officials, the accident was caused by a navigational error on the part of the crew, widely favored by poor weather conditions and the lack of sufficient visibility.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
En route from Bucharest-Băneasa to Arad, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, hail and turbulences. The airplane deviated from the prescribed route by 100 km when, in low visibility, it collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area located on the slope of Mt Găină located in the Apuseni Mountain range, Carpathians. The wreckage was found some 70 km southwest of Cluj-Napoca. Eight passengers and three crew members were killed while nine other people were injured. Those killed were: Crew: Gheorghe Dodani, pilot, George Irimescu, mechanic, Dumitru Ianculescu, radio operator. Passengers: Heinrich Göring, Virgil Cherciu, Peter F. Feld, Dumitru Zaharescu, Paul Emil Lindau, Fabritius Helnicit, Ottmar Weise-Ulog, Valter Gugenbergen.
Probable cause (official findings): According to officials, the accident was caused by a navigational error on the part of the crew, widely favored by poor weather conditions and the lack of sufficient visibility.