GVF PS-84 accident at Akchernskiy, Russia, 14 Nov 1941 (CCCP-L3488)

Accident narrative

The airplane departed Voronezh at 1610LT bound for Uryupinsk, carrying six crew members, eight passengers and a load of 1,100 kilos of leaflets that should be dropped beyond the enemy line. The estimated time of arrival in Uryupinsk was 1655LT, 13 minutes before dusk. While approaching Uryupinsk, the crew encountered light snow falls with a visibility of 2 km and a ceiling between 300 and 600 metres. As the crew missed the airport, the airplane deviated from the prescribed path and continued to the south. Eventually, the pilot attempted to land at night in a field when the airplane crashed two km south of Akchernskiy, some 20 km south of Uryupinsk, bursting into flames. The airplane was totally destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed.

Probable cause (official findings): It was determined that the crew failed to use the radionavigation system (especially a long waves radio compas) at their disposition and for unknown reason, the pilot continued the flight at an insufficient height. Poor piloting techniques, lack of discipline and successive mistakes on part of the crew were considered as contributing factors.