GVF PS-84 accident at Mt Ketan-Dag, Armenia, 2 Mar 1943 (CCCP-L3495)

Accident narrative

Because weather conditions deteriorated over Armenia, all flights were cancelled and airplane and crew were grounded. The captain refused to stay in Yerevan, disobeyed this ordered and took off at 1230LT with four other crew members and one passenger on board on a flight to Tbilisi. About 20 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 2,300 metres, weather conditions worsened. In poor visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Ketan-Dag located some 45 km northeast of Yerevan. Four crew members were seriously injured. The mechanic and the passenger were killed.

Probable cause (official findings): The captain knowingly made the decision to take off despite not being authorized to do so and despite weather conditions that did not permit a safe flight. Investigators said that the pilot demonstrated negligence, recklessness and imprudence. Furthermore, he continued the flight at an insufficient altitude despite being thoroughly familiar with the area. Controlled flight into terrain.