Agadir | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane was completing a flight from Agadir to Paris with an intermediate stop in Casablanca. On final approach, the crew encountered unclear technical problems when the airplane lost height and crashed 2 km short of runway 35 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and 61 occupants were killed while 21 other were injured.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the final approach was continued below the glide as a result of various problems. During the descent, the fire alarm connected to the right engine came on in the cockpit and the flight engineer immediately switched all the power of the hydraulic pumps on the engine that the captain was shutting down, which blocked the transfer actions until the power supply on the left engine would be reactivated. At impact, controls started to function again but it was too late for the pilot-in-command to expect recovery.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in El Kelâa des Sraghna: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1960 at 2345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

55.S.4

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Paris – Istres – Agadir

Location:

El Kelâa des Sraghna

Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz

Country:

Morocco

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route to Agadir at night, the crew informed ATC about an engine fire and elected to divert to Casablanca Airport. Shortly later, the airplane crashed in hilly terrain near El Kelâa des Sraghna, bursting into flames. All 20 occupants were killed. The airplane was also coded WU-26.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 635 Viking 1B in Agadir

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viking

Operator:

Registration:

G-AMGG

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Manchester – Agadir

MSN:

290

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing at Agadir Airport, the tire on the right main gear burst. The airplane swung for about 100 meters when the right main gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on runway and was later considered as damaged beyond repair. None of the 36 occupants was injured.

Probable cause:

Tire burst and undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Agadir: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1949 at 2055 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

46564

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Agadir - Agadir

MSN:

1928

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Based in Agadir Airport, the crew was performing a survey mission over the Ghir Cape, the Oued Souss and the Moroccan coast on behalf of the French Navy (Aéronavale). The seaplane left Agadir Airport at 1930LT with a return time scheduled at 2200LT. En route, the crew maintained several radio contacts with the base when a fire ball was spotted on water off Agadir at 2055LT. The crew of the french submarine christened 'Astrée' arrived on the scene (some 7 NM west of Agadir) within twenty minutes and met on site the Spanish trawler christened 'Javier Cloret' which was cruising in the vicinity when the accident occurred. The nose wheel was found during the following night but no trace of the 17 occupants who were considered as deceased. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were considered as fine with sky clear and no turbulences. All 17 occupants were killed and all 8 passengers were officers from the cruiser christened 'Jeanne d'Arc'. The aircraft was registered 46564 (22.S-3).
Crew:
BRETON Robert, radio operator,
FEVRE Jean,
GROSMAITRE Roland, engineer,
HUIBAN René, pilot,
LE BOT Gabriel, engineer,
MOY Louis, engineer,
RAIGNE Jean,
ROUVIERE Michel,
TOUZET Pierre, pilot.
Passengers:
AUBRON Daniel,
AUDIC Louis,
COUËTOUX Jean,
DAUTRY Louis,
GALOUZEAU de VILLEPIN Gonzague,
JAFFRÈS Claude,
NOÉ Michel,
ROBERT André.

Probable cause:

The French Navy concluded that no evidence could be made to explain the accident which was not caused by a pilot error in flight or a technical failure. Experts believes in the following assumptions: or the crew was trying to land or he did not sea the water surface while cruising by night.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Oued Massa: 18 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

1036

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

In unknown circumstances, the three engine aircraft registered 1036 (32 S-1) crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the Oued Massa region, about 55 km southwest of Agadir. All 18 occupants were killed. The aircraft was en route to Dakar when the accident occurred.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-11-DK near Agadir: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1946

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-49018

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

14834/26279

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous area located about 32 km north of Agadir. At least one crew member was killed.

Crash of a Latécoère 26.2R in Agadir

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1929

Type of aircraft:

Latécoère 26

Operator:

Registration:

F-AIKX

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

651

YOM:

1927

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot Clément Rolland to attempt an emergency landing. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was unhurt.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Latécoère 26.2R off Azemmour: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1929 at 1930 LT

Type of aircraft:

Latécoère 26

Operator:

Registration:

F-AIMU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dakar – Agadir – Casablanca – Alicante – Barcelona – Perpignan – Toulouse

MSN:

674

YOM:

1928

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was on his way to France with mail (letters and packets) from South America. The aircraft departed Agadir at 1600LT bound for Casablanca, and overflew Mazagan (El Jadida) at 1915LT. Few minutes later, while cruising along the coast, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Atlantic Ocean. SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found, and all operations were suspended few days later. Three weeks later, the dead bodies of both crew were found on a beach near Azemmour.
Crew:
Emile Lécrivain, pilot,
Pierre Ducaud, radio navigator.