| Tuszyn air disaster | |
| Occurrence Type: | Accident |
| Image Upright: | 1.2 |
| Date: | 15 November 1951 |
| Summary: | Engine failure, loss of control |
| Site: | Tuszyn, Poland |
| Aircraft Type: | Lisunov Li-2 |
| Operator: | LOT Polish Airlines |
| Tail Number: | SP-LKA |
| Origin: | Lublinek Airport |
| Destination: | John Paul II International Airport Kraków–Balice |
| Passengers: | 15 |
| Crew: | 3 |
| Fatalities: | 18 |
| Survivors: | 0 |
The 1951 LOT Li-2 Tuszyn air disaster occurred on 15 November 1951 when a LOT Polish Airlines Lisunov Li-2 flew into power lines near Tuszyn, crashed and burst into flames. All 15 passengers and 3 crew died. It was the first LOT aircraft disaster since the end of World War II.
On 15 November 1951 a LOT Lisunov Li-2 was en route from Łódź to Kraków–Balice. Shortly after take-off while flying through Górki Duże near Tuszyn it flew into power lines, crashed and went into flames.[1] All 15 passengers and 3 crew died. The Captain of the flight was Marian Buczkowski, father of Polish actor Zbigniew Buczkowski.[1] The official cause of the disaster was attributed to bad weather conditions (low clouds and fog) and pilot's error.[1]
According to a journalist investigation, due to lack of documentation in LOT archives, the events leading to the crash might have been different.[1] The Li-2 flew in from Szczecin that day and after landing Buczkowski pointed out that one of the engines may be faulty and refused to fly again.[1] Threatened with a pistol by a Security officer who wanted to get to Kraków he reluctantly agreed.[1] Due to the faulty engine the plane stalled, tipped over the power lines and crashed into a field.[1]
On 27 November 2010 an obelisk was erected to commemorate Captain Buczkowski, the crew and passengers.[1]