1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash

The Sverdlovsk plane crash of 7 January 1950 killed all 19 people on board, including almost the entire ice hockey team (VVS Moscow) of the Soviet Air Forces – 11 players, as well as a team doctor and a masseur. The team was on board a twin-engined Lisunov Li-2 transport aircraft, a licensed Soviet-built version of the DC-3, heading to a match against Dzerzhinets Chelyabinsk. Due to poor weather at Chelyabinsk, the flight diverted to Sverdlovsk. The crew attempted four approaches but during the fifth approach to Koltsovo Airport the aircraft crashed near the airport in a heavy snowstorm with strong winds.

Among those killed in the crash was goalkeeper Harijs Mellups.

Aftermath
The crash was covered up by Vasiliy Stalin, the son of Joseph Stalin and the teams manager, who immediately recruited a new team without his fathers knowledge.