Eh, it's was a dc-3, not only a very well known aircraft, the soviet union actually manufactured them under license as the li-2. So a well understood airframe.

Eh, it's was a dc-3, not only a very well known aircraft, the soviet union actually manufactured them under license as the li-2. So a well understood airframe. The aircraft in question was rewinged at one point, and the engines replaced with the the soviet engines used on the li-2, I would guess they understood the airplane well enough. Reading a couple of articles it sounds more like they were having too much fun on their excursion flight.