Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Paris

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1948
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-BWX
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Johannesburg – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Nice – Paris – London
MSN:
4254
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BANB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Nice – Marseille – Lyon – Paris
MSN:
136
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
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
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAXO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Nice – Lyon – Paris
MSN:
20488
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
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:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BBFA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nice – Paris
MSN:
0124
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
76
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
Operator:
Registration:
42-100829
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Neubiberg – Nice
MSN:
19292
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
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:
Operator:
Registration:
D-ALUS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Palma de Majorca – Barcelona – Genoa – Rome – Berlin
MSN:
5210
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
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.