Air France

The crew left Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airport for a local training mission. En route, an unexpected situation forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a field near the airport and came to rest. All four crew members were unhurt while the airplane was written off.

While descending to Lyon-Bron Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility with fog. On final, the airplane was too low and hit telephone lines before crashing in a field located in Saint-Priest, about 2 km short of runway 34. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed. Built in 1943, the aircraft has been delivered to Air France on 20 April 1953.
Crew:
Gilbert Navarri, pilot,
Léopold Bat, radio operator,
Fernand Rozet, mechanic.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Nantes-Château Bougon Airport. In-flight, technical difficulties forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed on a railroad located near the airport. While all five crew members were rescued, the aircraft was written off.

On approach to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to fog. On final, the airplane was too low and hit the ground few hundred yards short of runway. All three crew members were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Serge Ponsot, pilot,
Yves Rolland, radio operator,
Maurice Yrissou, mechanic.

The crew was conducting a local training flight at Beauvais-Tillé Airport. On takeoff from runway 31, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, hit power cables and crashed in a field. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.

The crew started the approach to Gander Airport by night and in good weather conditions. Following a stabilized approach, the four engine aircraft landed normally on runway 32. After touchdown, the reverse thrust system were activated when the aircraft veered to the left. Despite several corrections on part of the flying crew such as braking action, movement on the nose wheel steering and power added on both left engines number one and two, the aircraft continued down the runway, overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest into a ravine. While all 67 occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Air France Flight 075 originated at Orly Field, Paris, August 2, 1954, with a crew consisting of Captain Jean Caboche, Copilot Jean Roussean, Navigator Jacques Geffard., First Flight Engineer Albert Grandvaux, Second Flight Engineer Jean-Baptiste *** Stewardess Francine Dono, First Steward Michael Gallet, and Second Steward Jean Capron. The dispatch office had prepared two flight plans - one for a stop at Gander, Newfoundland, the other with a stop at Shannon, Ireland. Owing to marginal weather at Gander with the forecast indicating no improvement, the captain chose the latter plan. The flight departed Paris at 2024 and arrived Shannon at 2247. Fuel tanks were filled and the pilots ware briefed on weather for the nonstop flight to New York. Flight 075 departed Shannon at 0003 the next morning (August 3), estimating 11 hours 49 minutes an route, with fuel for nearly 14 hours. The gross weight at takeoff, 126,100 pounds, was less than the maximum allowable 133,000, and the load was correctly distributed relative to the canter of gravity of the aircraft. The Atlantic crossing was uneventful. Routine position reports were made en route and the flight periodically received weather reports for points along the route and at the destination. Stronger headwinds than had been anticipated were encountered near the North American continent, resulting in lower ground speed and somewhat higher fuel consumption per mile. The flight had approximately 600 gallons of fuel left at 1230 when it reported over Scotland Intersection (15 statute miles southwest of New York International Airport) and received clearance for an ILS approach. It was then 38 minutes behind its original flight plan estimate made at Shannon and had approximately 100 gallons less fuel than anticipated. During the approach, which was being monitored by New York International Airport radar, the flight encountered unexpected heavy turbulence, heavy rain, and a low ceiling, and the captain discontinued the approach at 1237 (0737 e. s. t.) when near his minimum prescribed altitude of 200 feet. The heavy turbulence made control of the aircraft difficult and when the missed approach was made, the captain found himself left of the localizer and below of glide path. The tower, which was immediately advised of the missed approach, told the flight to turn right to 130 degrees (the missed approach course), proceed to Scotland Intersection, and climb to 2,500 feet. Approximately three minutes after the missed approach and while on the 130-degrees course, the flight requested clearance to Boston. Such clearance was issued nine minutes later, as soon as possible consistent with other traffic. Meanwhile, the flight had reported being low on fuel but when asked if an emergency as being declared replied, "Negative, negative, not yet." At the approximate time clearance to Boston was received the flight engineer advised the captain that they had fuel of one more hour of flight. Thirty-three minutes after being cleared to Boston, the flight, at that time in the vicinity of Providence, Rhode Island, called Providence Tower, declared an emergency, and requested weather information. Providence weather, which was marginal, was furnished and the flight was cleared for an approach. However, the pilots found that their navigation kit did not contain an approach plate for Providence Airport and they advised they were not landing there. The captain then descended through a break in the overcast, circled two or three times, and landed with the gear retracted in a field at Preston City, Connecticut. It came to rest in flames in a garden and was destroyed by a post crash fire. All 37 occupants were evacuated safely. Nevertheless, 12 occupants were injured, among them both pilots.

The airplane left Paris-Orly in good weather conditions. However, few minutes later, the crew was informed about few turbulences over the Alps. While cruising by night at an altitude of 9,500 feet, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Cemet or Mt Cimet (3,020 meters high) located about 8 km northeast of Allos, in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The wreckage was found at the altitude of 2,870 meters, about 150 meters below the summit. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 42 occupants were killed, among them the French violinist Jacques Thibaud and the French composer René Herbin.
Crew:
Jacques Tranoy, pilot,
Jacques Calmette, copilot,
Robert Mathis, radio navigator,
M. Fontaine, mechanic,
Jean-Marie Christophe, mechanic,
Monique Perret, stewardess,
Jean Menard, steward,
Rémy Lebars, steward,
Charles Delhomme, steward.

While cruising at an altitude of 17,500 feet between Rhodes Island and Cyprus, the crew noted slight vibrations but was unable to localize them. Four minutes later, a loud bang was noted, an explosion occurred, a brutal depressurization occurred and the aircraft lost 1,000 feet. The captain, who was sleeping, joined immediately his seat, disengaged the automatic pilot system and started an emergency descent with a rate of 300-500 feet per minute. In the mean time, the copilot informed ATC he elected to divert to Nicosia Airport. The crew realized that the engine number three fell off and decided to shut down the engine number four and feathered its propeller. Eventually, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft on a calm sea about two NM off the Fethiye lighthouse. Ten minutes after landing, the empennage broke off and sank. Some passengers swum to the shore and the aircraft eventually sank two hours later. Three crew members were injured, 35 occupants were unhurt and four passengers were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Miandrivazo Airport, the three engine aircraft nosed down and crashed in a field located about 500 meters from the runway. All three crew members and one passenger were killed while 11 others were injured. The aircraft was carrying a load of tobacco to Antananarivo.
Crew:
Henri Dedieu, pilot,
Mr Aubert, radio operator,
Mr. Cattelin, mechanic.