Nice | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While flying over the Ligurian Sea en route from Athens to Nice, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the captain decided to divert to Rome-Ciampino. The aircraft overflew the Orbetello lagoon and then went through low clouds when it hit the slope of a mountain located near Monte Argentario. The aircraft was destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed. The airplane was performing a charter flight on behalf of the British operator Scott Gordon Aviator.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of a controlled flight into terrain. Poor visibility caused by low clouds was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Paris

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

ZS-BWX

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Johannesburg – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Nice – Paris – London

MSN:

4254

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Paris-Le Bourget Airport, the pilot was instructed by ATC to divert to Orly Airport as a landing in Le Bourget was impossible due to the low visibility caused by mist. While approaching Paris-Orly Airport, the crew was forced to abandon the approach due to foggy conditions and made a go around. Then three other attempts to land were also aborted. During the fifth attempt, the pilot reduced his altitude, probably to establish a visual contact with the ground, when the aircraft hit a electric pylon and crashed on a generator located near the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all 14 occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

Crash of an AAC.1 Toucan in Gémenos: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1947 at 2200 LT

Type of aircraft:

AAC.1 Toucan

Operator:

Registration:

F-BANB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nice – Marseille – Lyon – Paris

MSN:

136

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1226

Circumstances:

On the leg from Nice to Marseille, the crew started the descent to Marignane Airport when the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Sainte-Beaume Mountain Range, near Gémenos. A crew member was seriously injured while both other occupants were killed. Two days later, the only survivor died from his injuries. Delivered in September 5, 1945, the aircraft entered in service in June 8, 1946 only.
Crew:
Gabriel Cahouet, pilot,
Henri Decoudray, radio navigator,
Robert Salles, mechanic.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the crew encountered a failure of the automatic direction finder while approaching Marseille by night. While cruising in low visibility due to clouds, the crew decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit a rocky mountain and crashed in flames.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL on Mt Moucherolle: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1947 at 1530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

F-BAXO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nice – Lyon – Paris

MSN:

20488

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft left Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport at 1330LT bound for Paris-Le Bourget with an intermediate stop in Lyon-Bron. The ETA in Bron was 1600LT. About half an hour prior to his scheduled arrival in Lyon, the crew informed ATC in Montélimar-Ancône that he was flying east of Valence, approaching Grenoble, and that he was encountering poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. Few minutes later, the aircraft hit the east slope of Mt Moucherolle and crashed at an altitude of 2,289 meters. The wreckage was found a day later and all 23 occupants were killed. Apparently due to weather conditions, the aircraft was flying too low and off track at the time of the accident, maybe following a navigational error on part of the crew.
Crew:
Eugène Poulon, pilot,
Yves Lucchesi, copilot,
Roger Bourgne, radio navigator,
Marcel Wauthier, mechanic,
Marcel Bouthien, steward.

Crash of a SNCAC NC.702 Martinet in Pontarmé: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1946

Type of aircraft:

SNCAC NC.701/702 Martinet

Operator:

Registration:

F-BBFA

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Nice – Paris

MSN:

0124

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

While descending to Paris-Le Bourget Airport while on a mail flight from Nice, the twin engine aircraft went into a nose down attitude and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Pontarmé, south of Senlis. The aircraft was destroyed and both crewmen were killed. Brand new, the aircraft was delivered to Air France last February 21st.
Crew:
Jean Moreau, pilot,
André Furelaud, radio navigator.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-70-DL near Cuneo: 15 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100829

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Neubiberg – Nice

MSN:

19292

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Enroute, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near Cuneo, killing all 15 occupants.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Roure: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1939 at 0745 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

D-ALUS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Palma de Majorca – Barcelona – Genoa – Rome – Berlin

MSN:

5210

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on its way from Palma to Berlin with intermediate stops in Barcelona, Genoa and Rome. Among the passengers were German and Italian citizens. While cruising north of Nice, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with fog, snow falls and low clouds. The crew tried several times to contact the radio station in Genoa without success, and was unable to fix his real position. While cruising at a height of 700 metres, the three engine aircraft impacted three larches, lost its undercarriage, stalled and crashed in a snow covered terrain located between the villages of Roure and Saint Sauveur, in the Mercantour National Park, bursting into flames. SAR operations were initiated but the first rescuers, soldiers from the French 141st Alpine Infantry Regiment, arrived on scene in the morning of March 4, 1939. The aircraft was found partially destroyed by fire and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lothar Lessman, pilot,
Hermann Grünewald, copilot,
Willy Wohlecke, mechanic.
Passengers:
Walter Uhl,
Erich Regenhardt,
Paul Timmier,
Oscar Berti,
Willem Bodden,
Werner Kubenik,
Michael Hagel.

Probable cause:

French commission concluded the accident was due to a navigation error on part of the crew. This was caused by the poor weather conditions and low visibility in the region at the time of the accident. In such conditions, crew was unable to maintain visual contact with the ground. Also, a failure of the navigation instrument may have contributed to the accident. It was concluded the aircraft was not performing any spy or reconnaissance mission, but only a liaison flight between Spain, Italy and Germany.