Polikarpov Po-2 accident at Pashchenkovo, Russia, 23 Oct 1942 (CCCP-L99)
On October 23, 1942, a Polikarpov Po-2 (registration CCCP-L99) operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Pashchenkovo, Russia in flight. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's lack of discipline, expressed in the fact that when he encountered fog, he did not return to the departure aerodrome or make the decision to land, but attempted to fly over the fog to the destination. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Probable cause
The pilot's lack of discipline, expressed in the fact that when he encountered fog, he did not return to the departure aerodrome or make the decision to land, but attempted to fly over the fog to the destination.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
The pilot departed Urda on a flight to Kolobovka with two other similar airplanes. En route, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to fog. Both other airplanes returned to Urda but the pilot of CCCP-L99 decided to continue. Lost, the pilot deviated from the prescribed route until the airplane crashed in a dense wooded area located in Polikarpov Po-2. The wreckage was found six days later on October 29. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause (official findings): The pilot's lack of discipline, expressed in the fact that when he encountered fog, he did not return to the departure aerodrome or make the decision to land, but attempted to fly over the fog to the destination.