I just listened to a [podcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl02dFiox8k) (in Czech only) about this case and I’m wondering what is generally known about it in Romania. In Czechia, surprisingly little is known and nothing can be found in the archives of the various Czech ministries or the general aviation authority. The only information available comes from low-level local police investigation reports and period witnesses.

Facts:
\- A TARS Lisunov Li-2 left Bucharest and crashed near the airfield in [Lomnice nad Popelkou](https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/439144), present-day Czechia.
\- The flight was bound for Prague.
\- Most of passengers and crew were killed in the crash. Some died en route to hospital, some survived. Sources are inconsistent on precise numbers.
\- The aircraft made a stopover in Arad (not reflected e.g. [here](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19471121-0)). The stopover was “optional” according to the flight plan, i.e. it wasn’t entirely unplanned, e.g. by a renegade pilot or forced by a hijacker.
\- Over 3 kg of gold coins was found stashed in various parts of the aircraft.
\- No Romanian party, state or private, has ever claimed the recovered gold.

Unverified claims:
\- The aircraft might have been attempting landing. The crash site is very close to an airfield and the aircraft was seen flying over the runway at a very low altitude and speed.
\- The aircraft was actually carrying more gold but some of it was stolen by workers disposing of the wreckage and thus unreported.
\- The contraband of gold might have been on board since Bucharest or it might have been taken on board in Arad.
\- The flight might have been a part of an effort to get Romanian intelligence and valuables out of the country prior to the impending Communist takeover (King Michael I was forced to abdicate the next month, in December 1947).

by michalfabik

3 comments

  1. Im generally interested in aviation, and no, I hadnt heard of this before now.

  2. Not much apart from brief mentions in other articles, for instance [this one](https://historia.ro/sectiune/general/cum-a-evadat-printul-bazu-cantacuzino-din-romania-580776.html) about Bâzu Cantacuzino:

    *Pe 21 noiembrie, […]aeronava YR-TAI se striveste de solul cehoslovac în apropiere de Praga. Mor în accident pilotul, copilotul şi încă alţi şase pasageri, astfel încât nimeni nu mai poate afla cine a ascuns 3 kilograme de cocoşei de aur în bordul avionului.*

    “On November 21st[…]aircraft YR-TAI crashes near Prague. The pilot, copilot and six other passenger die, so no one can find out who hid 3 kg of gold coins in the airplane.”

    However, in that article there is an interesting note mentioning the lack of personnel due to constant purges, it’s surprising there weren’t more accidents:

    *Din 117 salariaţi, câţi au fost inventariaţi la aerobaza Băneasa la 4 noiembrie 1947 […]doua săptămâni mai târziu rămân în serviciu numai 32*

    “Out of 117 employees at TARS’ Baneasa base on November 4th 1947[…]two weeks later (November 18th 1947) only 32 are left.”

  3. Aur ce aur, nu am găsit nici un 1.345kg de aur in multipe pungi de panza nemarcate.

    De ce ai intreba de aur?

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