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2 fatalities

Fatal crash during unauthorized stop and aerobatic maneuver (CCCP-S215)

Ekaterinino, RussiaFlight

On May 30, 1942, a Polikarpov Po-2 (registration CCCP-S215) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Ekaterinino, Russia in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by the pilot's decision to perform acrobatic maneuvers while intoxicated, resulting in insufficient altitude to recover from the loop. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A ferry flight ended in a fatal accident after an unauthorized stop where the pilot performed a low-altitude loop, resulting in the deaths of both occupants.

What happened

The aircraft was on a ferry mission from Efremov to Kirsanov for scheduled maintenance. The crew, consisting of a pilot and a copilot/navigator, deviated from the planned route to make an unauthorized stop at the village of Ekaterinino. During this unscheduled halt, the copilot conducted a short local flight with a passenger. Subsequently, the pilot took off with another individual on board for a second local circuit.

While performing an aerobatic maneuver, specifically a loop at an altitude of approximately 250 to 300 meters, the aircraft descended too low to recover. The airplane impacted the ground and crashed into a field. Both occupants were killed in the impact.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the pilot's decision to perform acrobatic maneuvers while intoxicated, resulting in insufficient altitude to recover from the loop.

Related events

Same operator

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