Crash of a Latécoère 32 in Palma: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1928 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Latécoère 32
Operator:
Registration:
F-AISN
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Marseille – Palma de Mallorca – Algiers
MSN:
80
YOM:
1928
Location:
Palma de Mallorca
Balearic Islands
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While approaching Palma, the seaplane was too low and hit a lightning mast. It stalled and crashed onto several houses in the city. While the radio navigator was killed, both other crew members were injured.
Crew:
Étienne Simon, pilot,
Fernand Royère, mechanic,
Fernand Girard, radio navigator.
Probable cause:
Poor judgement on part of the crew who continued the approach at a too low altitude.

Crash of a Blériot Spad 56/4 in Sécheras: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1928 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Blériot Spad 56
Operator:
Registration:
F-AIMN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris – Lyon – Marseille
MSN:
4381.9
YOM:
1928
Location:
Sécheras
Ardèche
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route to Marseille, while overflying Ardèche, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He decided to make an emergency landing in a field located in Sécheras. Upon landing in a muddy field, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and sank into the ground. On impact, the pilot was ejected and died few minutes later while the passenger, a British Doctor, was unhurt.
Crew:
Maurice Bodin, pilot.
Passenger:
Mr. Seguel.

Crash of a Latécoère 32 off Majorca

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Latécoère 32
Operator:
Registration:
F-AISO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Marseille – Algiers
MSN:
81
YOM:
1928
Location:
Palma de Mallorca
Balearic Islands
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, while cruising south of Majorca Island, an engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. Wind was very strong (force 9) and the sea was rough. After 12 hours, the four occupants were eventually rescued by the crew of the Spanish boat named 'El Biar' while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Crew:
Henri Vallin, pilot,
Mr. Le Roux, radio,
Juan Munar, radio,
André Dupont, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Latécoère 32 in the Mediterranean Sea

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Latécoère 32
Operator:
Registration:
F-AITV
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Marseille – Algiers
MSN:
83
YOM:
1928
Location:
Mediterranean Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising over the Mediterranean Sea, one of the engine failed. The crew ditched the aircraft some 70 km north of Majorca Island. Unfortunately, the sea was rough due to a force 7 wind. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and all three crew members found refuge in a dinghy and eventually reached the coast 11 hours later.
Crew:
Roger Féru, pilot,
Pierre Viré, radio,
Mr. Loertscher, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Latécoère 32 off Marseille

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Latécoère 32
Operator:
Registration:
F-AIRU
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Marseille – Algiers
MSN:
82
YOM:
1928
Location:
Marseille
Bouches-du-Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from the Etang de Berre, off Marseille, the seaplane stalled and crashed in the sea few dozen metres offshore. All three occupants were injured while the aircraft sank.
Crew:
Henri Vallin, pilot,
Mr. Fichou, radio,
Gaston Génin, mechanic.
Probable cause:
It was reported the aircraft stalled during initial climb because its speed was insufficient.

Crash of a Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-190 in Tunis

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Lioré-et-Olivier LEO H-190
Operator:
Registration:
F-AIGC
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Site:
City
Schedule:
Tunis – Marseille – Paris
MSN:
2
YOM:
1926
Location:
Tunis
Tunis Governorate (ولاية تونس‎)
Country:
Tunisia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Tunis-Carthage Airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed in the Kheireddine district. Occupant fate unknown.

Crash of a SPCA Météore 63 off Algiers: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1927
Type of aircraft:
SPCA Météore 63
Operator:
Registration:
F-AIFN
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Algiers - Marseille
MSN:
1
YOM:
1926
Location:
Algiers
Algiers
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Algiers, the three engine seaplane stalled and crashed in the sea. The engineer was injured, the navigator was uninjured and the pilot Louis Larmor was killed. It seems that an engine failed shortly after takeoff.
Crew:
Louis Larmor, pilot, †
Pierre Ducaud, radio,
Vincent Riera, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Latécoère 21bis off Marseille

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1926
Type of aircraft:
Latécoère 21bis
Operator:
Compagnie France-Algérie
Registration:
F-AIFH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Marseille - Marseille
MSN:
71.1
YOM:
1926
Location:
Marseille
Bouches-du-Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a test flight on this new seaplane that was scheduled to open a new route between Marseille and Algiers shortly. In unknown circumstances, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in the sea off Marseille. While all three occupants were injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.9C in Marseille

Date & Time: May 28, 1922
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.9
Operator:
Wilfred Theodore Blake
Registration:
G-EBDE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Lyon - Marseille
MSN:
H5738
YOM:
1922
Location:
Marseille
Bouches-du-Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a world tour and departed Lyon in the morning bound to Marseille. The aircraft overflew Marseille downtown and the crew was forced to make an emergency landing, most probably because lost or due to fuel exhaustion. The aircraft crashed in the Parc Borély located south of the city. While all three occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was planned that the crew should land in Marseille but he was not aware that the airport deserving this city was located in Istres, some 50 km northeast of the final position.
Crew:
Captain Norman McMillan, pilot
Major W. T. Blake, copilot and navigator.
Passenger:
Colonel L. E. Broome, photograph.
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