Country
France

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Montesquieu-Lauragais: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Registration:
E-233
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Toulouse - Toulouse
MSN:
13
YOM:
1938
Location:
Montesquieu-Lauragais
Haute-Garonne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Toulouse-Francazal on training mission. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Montesquieu-Lauragais, some 25 km southeast of Francazal Airport. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Pierre Le Hemounet, pilot,
S/Lt Paul Jules Henri Saint-Martin, observer, †
Asp Bouisson, observer,
Sgt Maurice Eugène Père, gunner. †

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 near Clermont-Ferrand

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1940 at 1510 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Registration:
E-239
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Clermont-Ferrand - Clermont-Ferrand
MSN:
17
YOM:
1938
Location:
Clermont-Ferrand-Auvergne (Aulnat)
Puy-de-Dôme
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Clermont-Ferrand-Aulnat Airport on a local training flight. En route, a loss of engine power forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in an open field located in Malintrat, about 4 km north of the airport. All four crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Cne Paul Sidelaine, commander,
S/Lt Joseph Rein, pilot.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing following a loss of engine power in flight.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Marcilloles

Date & Time: May 15, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Registration:
L-386
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Marcilloles - Marcilloles
MSN:
131
YOM:
1938
Location:
Marcilloles
Isère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed in a field located in Marcilloles and came to rest. All four crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Lt Albert Lucien Rambaud, pilot,
Lt Durand, observer,
Sgt/C Maurice Seve, radio operator,
Cpl/C Vasseur, gunner.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Toulouse: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Registration:
L-346
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Toulouse - Toulouse
MSN:
91
YOM:
1938
Location:
Toulouse-Francazal
Haute-Garonne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Toulouse-Francazal Airport on a local training flight. It crashed shortly after takeoff for unknown reasons. One crew member, Cpl Zdenek, was killed.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Broville: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
Location:
Broville
Meuse
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz-Frescaty AFB on a night mission. En route, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reasons. The crew bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed in a field located in Broville, bursting into flames. Three crew members were injured and a fourth was killed because his parachute burnt.
Crew:
Adj Georges Emile Marie Joseph Lemoine, pilot,
Adj/C Pierre Charles Marie, commander, †
Sgt Pierre Rigollier, radio operator,
Sgt Blanchard, gunner.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in La Fère-Courbes: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1939 at 1045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Registration:
L-377
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
La Fère-Courbes - La Fère-Courbes
MSN:
122
YOM:
1938
Location:
La Fère-Courbes
Aisne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed La Fère-Courbes Aerodrome at 1020LT on a reconnaissance mission over La Capelle. While cruising at an altitude of 2,800 metres, the airplane was attacked by the pilot of two French Morane 406. The pilot reduced his altitude and elected to return to his base. On final approach to La Fère-Courbes, he lost control of the airplane that nosed down and crashed in a field located one km short of runway, bursting into flames. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Lt Louis Pierrat, pilot,
Sgt Pierre Jean Clémenceau, radio operator, †
Cne Pierre Louis Maurice Laurent, observer, †
Adj Paul Loussalez-Artets, gunner.
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by two French fighter. It was determined that the pilots of the French fighters confused the Bloch MB.131 with a Heinkel He.111.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Brevans

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1939 at 1545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Registration:
L-328
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dole - Dole
MSN:
73
YOM:
1938
Location:
Brevans
Jura
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Dole-Tavaux Airport on a local test flight. The purpose of the mission was to test the operation of the propellers. En route, an engine lost power due to the malfunction of the propeller pitch system. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in an open field located in Brevans, some 9 km northeast of Dole-Tavaux Airport. All four occupants were injured, two seriously.
Crew:
Asp Raoul Chevassus, pilot,
Sgt Robert Thévenin, mechanic,
Sgt Emile Chapuis, radio operator,
Cpl Georges Thomas, gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine power loss following the malfunction of the propeller pitch system.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Morsbach: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Registration:
L-341
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Étain-Rouvres - Étain-Rouvres
MSN:
86
YOM:
1938
Location:
Morsbach
Moselle
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Étain-Rouvres AFB on a reconnaissance mission over Metz. En route, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed by the forest of Guensbach, in Morsbach, bursting into flames. Two crew members were rescued while two others were killed.
Crew:
S/Lt Leory, pilot,
Lt Rousset, observer,
S/Lt Paul Antoine Jean Capdeville, navigator, †
Adj René Emile Louis Saron, gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Bliesransbach: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Registration:
L-347
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux - Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux
MSN:
92
YOM:
1938
Location:
Bliesransbach
Saarland
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux on a reconnaissance mission over the Siegfried line. Over the target area, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Bliesransbach, some 4 km north of Sarreguemines. A crew member survived while three others were killed.
Crew:
S/Sgt Raymond Louis Bouvry, pilot, †
Cpt Pierre Jules Fion, observer, †
Sgt Maurice Joseph Rayat, gunner, †
Sgt André Trusson, gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by as German fighter.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux - Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux
Location:
Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux
Vosges
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux on a reconnaissance mission over Sarrebruck, Germany. Over the target area, the airplane was attacked by the pilots of German Messerschmitt 109. The crew evacuated the area and returned to Martigny-lès-Gerbonvaux. With one engine inoperative and seriously damaged, the airplane crashed upon landing and came to rest. All four crew members were rescued, one of them was seriously injured. He died in the evening from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Cpt Frébillot, pilot,
Adj Thiébault, photographer,
Sgt/C Pierre Lacaille, gunner,
Cpl Pierre Adolphe Martellière, gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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