Crash of a Nord 262A-34 near Mézilhac: 21 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 21, 1971 at 0940 LT
Operator:
Registration:
44/F-RBOA
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vélizy-Villacoublay - Orange
MSN:
44
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Vélizy-Villacoublay Air Base on a special flight to Orange AFB, carrying six officers, seven engineers of the CEA - Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique (Central commission for nuclear energy) and a crew of eight who were scheduled to conduct an inspection of the nuclear center of Pierrelatte. The pilot was cleared by Marseille ATC to descent to 8,000 feet until Montélimar then to 5,000 feet to Orange. For unknown reason, the crew started the descent prematurely and in marginal weather conditions, the airplane stuck the slope of Mt Suc de Pradou (1,342 meters high) located about 3 km southeast of Mézilhac. The wreckage was found about 200 meters below the summit and all 21 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Pierre Chaintreau,
Adj/C Jean-Michel Reig,
Adj/C Jacques Deville,
Adj Alain Gaudy,
Sgt/C Claude Touzeau,
Sgt/C Jean-Pierre Boutin,
Off Alain Giblan,
Sdt Bertrand Courbier.
Passengers:
Amiral Robert Landrin,
Gen Édouard Billion,
Gen Jean-Marc Pineau,
Col Charles Birckel,
Col Alain Rolland de Chambaudoin d’Erceville,
Cpt André Bouteiller,
Jean Gaume, engineer,
Paul Johann, engineer,
Jean Labussière, engineer,
Hubert Lefèbvre de Laboulaye, engineer,
Jacques Mabile, engineer,
François Ronteix, engineer,
Georges Tirole, engineer.
Crew:
Lt Pierre Chaintreau,
Adj/C Jean-Michel Reig,
Adj/C Jacques Deville,
Adj Alain Gaudy,
Sgt/C Claude Touzeau,
Sgt/C Jean-Pierre Boutin,
Off Alain Giblan,
Sdt Bertrand Courbier.
Passengers:
Amiral Robert Landrin,
Gen Édouard Billion,
Gen Jean-Marc Pineau,
Col Charles Birckel,
Col Alain Rolland de Chambaudoin d’Erceville,
Cpt André Bouteiller,
Jean Gaume, engineer,
Paul Johann, engineer,
Jean Labussière, engineer,
Hubert Lefèbvre de Laboulaye, engineer,
Jacques Mabile, engineer,
François Ronteix, engineer,
Georges Tirole, engineer.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the crew may misunderstood and mixed both altitude clearances of 8,000 feet till Montélimar and 5,000 feet till Orange, descending prematurely. In consequence, the accident was the result of a controlled flight into terrain.
