Cannes | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On a cargo flight from Toussus-le-Noble to Cannes, while cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet, the pilot declared an emergency after the engine failed. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the loss of control could not be established. Technical analysis did not reveal any anomalies on the engine and other aircraft's equipments. Brand new, the aircraft had just been delivered and completed 50 flying hours only. The pilot, relatively inexperienced, totalized 150 hours on type. It is possible that he mismanaged the engine and other equipments.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne I in Saarbrücken: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1988

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31 Cheyenne

Operator:

Registration:

D-IKWP

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cannes – Saarbrücken

MSN:

31-8004049

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Saarbrücken Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Ballweiler, about 7 km short of runway 27. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Mont Beuvray: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain

Operator:

Registration:

G-BGEO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kerkira – Cannes – Leeds

MSN:

31-7405489

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route to Leeds, the pilot encountered low visibility due to thick fog while cruising over France. Too low, the twin engine airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located in Mont Beuvray. Three occupants were seriously injured while four others were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 401 in Die: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1971 at 1300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 401

Operator:

Registration:

F-BRPU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Paris - Cannes

MSN:

401-0127

YOM:

1968

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport at 1123LT bound for Cannes, carrying a passenger, the CEO of Laboratoires UPSA Camille Bru, and a pilot. While flying over Drôme at an altitude of 3,000 meters in good weather conditions, the airplane collided with a Robin DR-308 registered F-BSLO. The pilot, sole on board, departed Gap Airfield at 1230LT bound for Chartres via Moulins, towing two gliders on behalf of the Bertin de Chatenay Aeroclub. Immediately after the collision, the pilots of both gliders were able to detach and landed safely. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed on the slope of Mt Salaure, at an altitude of 1,100 meters. Both aircraft were totally destroyed and all three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Hawker-Siddeley HS.125-1 off Nice: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1966 at 1712 LT

Type of aircraft:

BAe 125

Operator:

Air Affaires

Registration:

F-BKMF

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Demonstration

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Cannes - Nice

MSN:

25007

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4601

Captain / Total hours on type:

324.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2080

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Aircraft flight hours:

798

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Cannes at 1645LT bound for Nice and the crew was supposed to perform three low pass over the Airport of Nice-Côte d'Azur during a local Airshow. The first path was performed at low height over the runway. The crew then completed a turn to the right in an attempt to make a second low pass but on the opposite direction. Doing so, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 2,000 feet when control was lost. It went into a dive, caught fire in the air and crashed in flames into the sea some 1,5 km southwest of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The stresses applied to the airframe of F-BKMF during the manoeuvre carried out in order to return to the Nice runway, exceeded the design limit loads of the wing unit. A rupture was then caused to the wing unit which resulted in the leakage of a large quantity of fuel from the upper surface near the wing root. The aircraft stalled under the high load factor and the pilot was unable to regain control because of the small height margin and the damage to the aircraft structure. In spite of the considerable stick forces which have to be applied in a normally trimmed aircraft in order to carry out such a manoeuvre, the latter may have been attempted by the pilot, who was experienced, skillful and cautious, in view of the following circumstances: "tight" manoeuvre at low altitude in poor visibility; air display atmosphere (type of flying pre-supposing special training different from the training normally required for a chief pilot of the Air Affaires company); possible anxiety to avoid crossing the flight paths of several aircraft in the vicinity during the display.

Final Report:

Crash of a Dassault M.D.312M Flamant in Cannes: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1957 at 1207 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dassault M.D.315 Flamant

Operator:

Registration:

11.S.12

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cannes – Paris

MSN:

310

YOM:

1952

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from runway 17 at Cannes-Saint-Cassien Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height. It nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion about one km from the runway end. It was destroyed by a post crash fire and all five occupants were killed, among them Vice-Amiral Pierre Lancelot who was en route to Paris-Le Bourget Airport after a FAMMAC meeting in Cannes.
Crew (11S Squadron):
Cpt Vauchez, pilot,
Lt Le Mentec, pilot,
M/Sgt Georges Tisserand, mechanic,
M/Sgt Jean Boullie, radio operator.
Passenger:
Vice-Amiral Pierre Lancelot, Head of Staff of the French Navy.

Probable cause:

It was reported that the loss of control was caused by an error of the crew who did not prepare the flight according to procedures and failed to remove prior to takeoff the chock (splint) blocking the elevators while on the ground.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Saint-Bauzile: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1948 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

G-AJOU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Croydon – Paris – Cannes

MSN:

4058

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft left Croydon in the early afternoon for Paris with eight passengers and a crew of two. Six passengers disembarked in Paris and the aircraft took off around 1530LT bound for Cannes. About two hours into the flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain, turbulence and strong winds. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Le Coran, near Saint-Bauzile, about 9 km southeast of Privas. A local farmer was quickly on the scene but all four occupants were killed. Rescue teams arrived the next morning.
Crew:
Peter Townsend, pilot,
Arthur Frederick Freeman, radio operator.
Passengers:
Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam,
Kathleen Kennedy-Cavendish, young sister of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Crash of a Fokker F7b/3m in Cannes

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1936 at 1456 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F7

Operator:

Registration:

F-AJBJ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Marseille - Cannes

MSN:

5135

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Cannes, the pilot encountered severe downdrafts and initiated a go around. During the second attempt to land, the aircraft lost height and impacted the ground short of runway. Upon impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the airplane slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest in a bush against an embankment. Eight occupants were injured and the pilot was unhurt. The aircraft named 'La Rêveuse' was damaged beyond repair. Among the passenger was Mr. Schneider, General Secretary of Air France.
Crew:
Mr. Bredignan, pilot,
Robert Ferrisse, radio navigator.

Probable cause:

Loss of altitude on approach due to severe downdrafts.

Crash of a Nieuport-Delage NiD-641 in Lus-la-Croix-Haute: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1931 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Nieuport-Delage NiD-641

Operator:

Registration:

F-AJRB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Cannes – Grenoble – Dijon – Paris

MSN:

YOM:

1930

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising over the Alps and approaching the Lus-la-Croix-Haute Pass from the south, the pilot encountered misty conditions and the visibility was low. The aircraft hit the ground and crashed near the pass. The pilot Albert Bouthier and two passengers were killed while two other passengers were injured. The aircraft was returning to Paris with few other airplanes from the same operator, carrying some 20 models accompanying the French fashion designer Aline Chiffon. It was descending to Grenoble-Moirans Airport, a scheduled intermediate stop before continuing to Dijon and Paris.
Crew:
Albert Bouthier, pilot. †
Passengers:
Mrs. Aluta (aka Aline Chiffon), †
Mr. Arbeau, †
Mrs. Soskins,
Mr. Amon.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60 Moth in Lucciana

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1931

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Lauro Adolfo De Bosis

Registration:

G-EBQE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Cannes – Rome

MSN:

370

YOM:

1927

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Cannes to Rome and while overflying Corsica, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and lost his orientation. He attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in Lucciana, some 15 km southwest of Bastia. The only occupant was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

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