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Osoaviakhim-1
 Crash site | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | January 30, 1934 |
| Summary | Catastrophic loss of buoyancy |
| Site | Insarsky District of Mordovia (470 km east from Moscow) 53°52′N 44°22′E / 53.867°N 44.367°E |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Experimental high-altitude balloon |
| Aircraft name | Osoaviakhim-1 |
| Operator | Osoaviakhim |
| Crew | 3 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Osoaviakhim-1 was a record-setting, hydrogen-filled Soviet high-altitude balloon designed to seat a crew of three and perform scientific studies of the Earth's stratosphere. On January 30, 1934, on its maiden flight, which lasted over 7 hours, the balloon reached an altitude of 22,000 metres (72,000 ft).[1] During the descent, the balloon lost its buoyancy and plunged into an uncontrolled fall, disintegrating in the lower atmosphere. The three crew members, probably incapacitated by high g-forces in a rapidly rotating gondola, failed to bail out and were killed by the high-speed ground impact.[2]
According to public investigation reports, the crash was ultimately caused by a prolonged stay at record altitudes exceeding maximum design limits.[3][4] The balloon, overheated by sunlight, lost too much lifting gas in the upper atmosphere. As it descended past the 12,000 metres (39,000 ft) mark, cooling down to ambient air temperature, a rapid loss of buoyancy caused a downward acceleration that triggered the structural failure of the suspension cables.[5] The aircraft design was marked by numerous engineering flaws, notably insufficient ballast and faulty gondola suspension design,[2] which all contributed to the loss of life.[4]
Later Soviet manned high-altitude balloons improved on safety devices and did not venture above 16,000 metres (52,000 ft);[2] the program was nevertheless marked with accidents and failures and was terminated after the Osoaviakhim-2 launch failure in June 1940.[4]
- ^ Shayler, 2000, p. 20.
- ^ a b c Shayler, 2000, p. 21.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
MUwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
DRwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ For a contemporary English explanation of descent physics and balloon weight budget, see Maxwell.
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