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Crash of a Lockheed L-749A Constellation in Vienna

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1958 at 2159 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-749 Constellation
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAZX
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris – Munich – Vienna
MSN:
2527
YOM:
1947
Location:
Vienna-Schwechat
Vienna
Country:
Austria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Munich, the crew started an ILS approach to Vienna-Schwechat runway 30. On final, the captain made a visual circuit when ground contact was apparently lost, causing the airplane to lose height. On short final, the Constellation crash landed in a field 2,2 km short of runway 30 threshold and came to rest. All 34 occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It is possible to establish that there was no question of a technical malfunction, and that the flight crew lost sight of the ground in the base leg turn, at which time the aircraft adopted an abnormal attitude for this manoeuvre which led to the crash. Presumably the accident could have been avoided through immediate discontinuation of the approach procedure (immediate changeover to climb - heading for radio beacon OEW) following loss of visibility.

Crash of a Caudron C.440 Goéland in Pontoise

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Caudron C.440 Goéland
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAPQ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pontoise - Pontoise
MSN:
8918/1114
YOM:
1937
Location:
Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin
Val-d'Oise
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin when he encountered an unexpected situation. The pilot attempt an emergency landing in a field and while all three crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL near Molière: 15 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHKV
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Algiers – Colomb-Béchar
MSN:
20001
YOM:
1944
Location:
Bordj Bounaama
Tissemsilt
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
While on a flight from Algiers to Colomb-Béchar, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Molière (today Bordj Bounaama). The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 15 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Mr. Yasoni, pilot,
Mr. Vincent, radio operator,
Mr. Brillant, mechanic.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-1-DO Skymaster in In Salah

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
F-BELK
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Algiers – In-Salah – Tamanrasset
MSN:
7451
YOM:
1943
Location:
In Salah
Tamanrasset
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew encountered a sand storm while approaching In Salah Airport. On final, in limited visibility, the aircraft was too low and struck a sand dune short of runway. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane belly landed in sand before coming to rest. Both engines number two and three detached. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A in Poitiers

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1958 at 1415 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAOA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Poitiers - Poitiers
MSN:
11708
YOM:
1943
Location:
Poitiers
Vienne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8141
Captain / Total hours on type:
427.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
63
Circumstances:
The aircraft was dispatched at Poitiers-Biard Airport for training purposes. The crew (five pilots under supervision, one instructor and two passengers) left the airport at 1245LT for local training mission. While approaching the airfield with one engine voluntarily inoperative, the crew encountered difficulties with the undercarriage that failed to lock down in time. The instructor decided to make a go around when the airplane banked right and crashed on a military building housing ammunition. All eight occupants were injured and evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed. No one on ground was injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to the successive appearance of two incidents during a training exercise: slowness of the landing gear to extend; failure of the right engine to pick up power. The crew which included a pilot under training and a mechanic with limited experience, did not properly co-ordinate their actions. The instructor, because of his position in the cockpit, was unable to assist.
Final Report:

Crash of a Caudron C.440 Goéland in Pontoise

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Caudron C.440 Goéland
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAPI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
8910/1106
YOM:
1937
Location:
Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin
Val-d'Oise
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airport. No casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation at Paris-Orly

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1957 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHMK
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris - Reims - Paris
MSN:
4670
YOM:
22
Location:
Paris-Orly
Val-de-Marne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11960
Captain / Total hours on type:
1078.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
9044
Copilot / Total hours on type:
385
Aircraft flight hours:
3075
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission consisting of a half-yearly check. After the pilot completed several manoeuvres at Reims Airport, he returned to Paris-Orly to complete four landings. The ILS approach to runway 26L was correct and completed by night with a ceiling at 60 meters and a horizontal visibility of 1,600 meters, under GCA surveillance. Just before touchdown, the airplane banked left and hit the ground 400 meters past the runway threshold. The airplane then crashed on the left side of the runway, lost its left wing and came to rest in flames about 700 meters past the runway threshold. All six crew members were quickly evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of excessive corrective manoeuvres performed at the time of contact with the runway. Icing on the aircraft might have reduced its aerodynamic qualities.
Final Report:

Ground fire of a Douglas C-54-DO Skymaster at Toulouse

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHKY
Flight Phase:
Parking
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3055
YOM:
1943
Location:
Toulouse-Blagnac
Haute-Garonne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Caught fire while parked at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. There were no injuries but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Biskra: 32 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
F-BEIK
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
El Oued – Biskra – Alger – Marseille – Paris
MSN:
14411/25856
YOM:
1944
Location:
Biskra
Biskra
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Biskra Airport, while climbing, the left engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed less than one km from the airfield and was destroyed upon impact. All 32 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Jean-Marie Girardeau-Montaut, pilot,
M. Leclerc, copilot,
M. Vergnolle, radio operator,
M. Lageat, mechanic,
M. Ramel, steward.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine during initial climb.

Crash of a Vickers 701 Viscount in Dannemois: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1956 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
F-BGNK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris – Reims
MSN:
8
YOM:
1953
Location:
Dannemois
Essonne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew left Paris-Orly Airport at 0849LT on a training flight to Reims, carrying three pilots, one instructor and one controller from the Vilgenis Instruction center. After takeoff, the crew climbed to 3,000 feet and above the cloud layer, continued under VFR. At 0858LT, the captain requested permission to climb to 5,000 feet when control was lost. The airplane entered a dive and crashed in a field located in Dannemois, about 31 km south of Paris-Orly Airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Mr. Marchandise,
Mr. Brunot,
Mr. Colsy,
Mr. Heymard,
Mr. Nicolai.
Probable cause:
The cause of the loss of control could bot be determined with certainty.
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