Country
France

Crash of a Potez 540 in Fez: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Fez - Gibraltar
Location:
Fez
Fès-Boulemane
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Following a night takeoff from Fez Airport, while climbing, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed, bursting into flames. All eight occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was en route to England via Gibraltar.
Crew:
Sgt Louis Le Digabel, pilot,
AC2 Robert Séraphin Raybaudi, pilot,
AC2 Marcel François Jeunehomme, pilot,
Cpl Emile Arthur Renaud, pilot,
Cpl/C Jean Joseph Frenzer, pilot,
AC2 Jean Baptiste Adolphe Diacono, pilot,
AC2 Jean-Marcel Foisset, pilot,
Cpl/C Paul Marius Eugène Sentenac, air gunner.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the aircraft was shot down by the French Flak or was deliberately sabotaged to avoid any defection from French troops.

Crash of a Potez 540 in Dinard

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1940 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Registration:
X-587
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Dinard - Dinard
MSN:
246
YOM:
1936
Location:
Dinard-Pleurtuit
Ille-et-Vilaine
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Dinard-Pleurtuit Airport on a local training flight. After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 8 metres, the right engine lost power. The airplane rolled to the right, impacted a tree and crashed. All five crew members were injured:
Crew:
Sgt/C Georges Dorel, pilot,
Adj Jean Lacoste, pilot,
Sgt/C Roger Frankeur, pilot,
Sgt Jean Beauce, air gunner,
2Cl Claude Vauthier, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power after takeoff.

Crash of a Potez 542 in Tours

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1939 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Registration:
X-195
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tours - Tours
MSN:
121
YOM:
1936
Location:
Tours-Parçay-Meslay
Indre-et-Loire
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Tours-Parçay-Meslay Airport on a bombing training exercice. After takeoff, the captain decided to abandon the mission due to foggy conditions and elected to return to his departure point. The aircraft landed too far down the runway and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, crossed a road and crashed against trees. All five crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Lt Gallin, pilot,
S/Lt Le Mouroux, instructor,
Cpl/C Aperce, gunner,
Sgt Daeron, gunner,
1Cl Boileau, gunner.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach and landing configuration.

Crash of a Potez 540-B5 in Laon

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1939 at 2017 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Registration:
X-289
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Laon - Laon
MSN:
160
YOM:
1936
Location:
Laon-Couvron
Aisne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a local training flight at Laon-Couvron Airfield. On final approach, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low. The airplane impacted an embankment located short of runway, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The aircraft continued for about 70 metres then belly landed and came to rest. All five crewmen were rescued, among them two were injured.
Crew:
Adj/C Adrien Cathala, pilot,
Adj/C Matignon, gunner,
Sgt/C Epenoy, gunner,
Lt Genay, observer,
Cne Hoquetis, Chief.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to a pilot error. Nevertheless, it was considered that the runway was not equipped with lights and the pilot may have been hampered by the luminosity caused by the low position of the moon.

Crash of a Potez 540 in Momas: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1938 at 2350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Registration:
X-126
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Istres - Pau
MSN:
52
YOM:
1936
Location:
Momas
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
1530
Circumstances:
The crew departed Pau-Uzein in the early evening on an exercice to Istres and back. On approach to Pau Airport at night, the crew failed to realize his was too low when the airplane impacted trees and crashed in Momas, north of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Adj/C Louis Boisson, pilot,
Sgt Jean Reulet, pilot,
Sgt Jean Bella, radio operator,
Sgt Serge Vasseur, technician.

Crash of a Potez 540 in Beaumont-la-Ronce: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1938 at 0015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Registration:
F-ANJO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Tours – Vélizy-Villacoublay
MSN:
75
YOM:
1936
Location:
Beaumont-la-Ronce
Indre-et-Loire
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
On the evening of 22 June 1938, the crew completed some training maneuvers at the airports of Orléans, Châteauroux and Tours before returning to their base at Vélizy-Villacoublay. The twin engine aircraft departed Tours-Parçay-Meslay Airport shortly after midnight on 23 June 1938. An engine misfired few minutes after takeoff and the pilot attempted an emergency landing when the right wing impacted the ground. The aircraft crashed in Beaumont-la-Ronce, some 15 km north of Tours Airport, and was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All seven occupants were killed. They were performing a mission on behalf of the Section Centrale des Transports Aériens (SCTA).
Crew:
Cpt Georges Reynaud,
Lt Paul Canal,
LtdV René Perret,
Sgt/C Albert Thibault,
Sgt Yves Fabres.
Passengers:
Cpt Maurice Marmagnant
Cpt Jean Raineri.
Probable cause:
The commission did not find the exact cause of the engine failure but the crew made a sharp turn to the right at low altitude to avoid a hill, causing the right wing to struck the ground.

Crash of a Potez 540 in Lyon: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 10, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Registration:
X-110
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
36
YOM:
1936
Location:
Lyon-Bron
Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight on behalf of the Reconnaissance Group I/55. On final approach to Lyon-Bron Airport, the aircraft was caught by severe downdrafts and crashed, bursting into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt De Champ de Saint Léger, Board Chief,
Sgt Dupuy, pilot,
Sgt Robert, pilot and instructor,
Asp Premillieux, observer,
Sgt Ragoy, engineer.
Probable cause:
Caught by downdraft while landing.

Crash of a Potez 543 in Constanţa: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Constanţa - Constanţa
Location:
Constanța
Constanța
Country:
Romania
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in an exercice in the area of Constanţa when it crashed in unknown circumstances. All six crew members were killed, among them Maj Alimanescu.

Crash of a Potez 540 in Andratx: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Lérida - Lérida
Location:
Andratx
Balearic Islands
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Following a bombing mission over the harbor of Palma de Mallorca, the crew was returning to his base in Lérida. While flying over the sea, he was attacked by the pilot of a Nationalist Air Force Fiat CR.32. The crew elected to return to Palma for an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Andratx, some 20 km west of Palma. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
Jan Ferak, pilot,
Zdeněk Talaš, gunner,
Josef Soušek, gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Potez 540 in Pastrana: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1936 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Registration:
F-AOOO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Madrid – Barcelona – Toulouse
MSN:
228
YOM:
1936
Location:
Pastrana
Castile-La Mancha
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Madrid-Getafe on a special flight to Toulouse-Francazal with an intermediate stop in Barcelona, carrying five passengers and two crew members on behalf of the French Embassy. The five passengers were Dr. Henry from the Red Cross, two French journalists Mr. Château and Mr. Delaprée and two young girls. While cruising at an altitude of about 3,000 metres some 65 km east of Madrid, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Polikarpov I-15 of the Spanish Nationalist Forces. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed and came to rest, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed, two seriously. The journalist Louis Delaprée died from his injuries on December 31.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
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