Crash of a Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-45 in Vénissieux: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1943 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Paris – Lyon
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Lyon-Bron Airport, the captain decided to attempt a go around due to the presence of a German aircraft on the runway. Few minutes later, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in the district of 'La Femme Morte', near Vénissieux. Both passengers (two technicians of Air France) and all three crew members were killed. It is not clear if the aircraft was operated by Air France or by the German authorities with an Air France crew only.
Crew:
Félix Logerot, pilot,
Henri Pellet, radio navigator,
Pierre Roulleau, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Mr. Claudel,
Mr. Pierre.
Probable cause:
Both engines stopped due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Junkers W.34 in Paris: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris - Berlin
MSN:
1487
YOM:
1928
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Paris-Le Bourget on a flight to Berlin, carrying one passenger, three crew members and some military mail. Shortly after takeoff, it went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. All three crew members were injured and the passenger was killed. Recently appointed as Vice Admiral for the Southeast in the Mediterranean, the passenger was en route to Berlin to take over his duties.
Crew:
Uffz Bernhard Schneegold, pilot,
Gefr Bernhard Cleber, radio operator,
Uffz Herbert Bahr, navigator.
Passenger:
Vice Admiral Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière. †

Crash of a Heinkel He.111E in Gonesse: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris-Le Bourget - Paris-Le Bourget
MSN:
1315
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Paris-Le Bourget Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed in Gonesse, three km north of the airfield, bursting into flames. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was seriously injured.
Crew:
Fw Hans Schmidt, pilot,
Gefr Heinrich Nisse, chief,
Gefr Erich Otekal, radio operator,
Gefr Horst Marschall, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine during initial climb.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P off Wexford: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G1+DT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Paris - Paris
MSN:
2822
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport on an operation over the Merseyside area. Along the Irish coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a Hurricane and crashed into the sea off Wexford. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Hans Kohler,
Fw Horst Birkholz,
Uffz Rudolf Firchau,
Gefr Franz Günther,
Fw Martin Lippert.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Wibault 283.T12 in Fontclauze: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1939 at 1310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AMTT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lyon – Paris
MSN:
10
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane departed Lyon-Bron Airport on a flight to Paris-Le Bourget, carrying one passenger and four crew members on behalf of the 6th Section d'avion de transport based in Bron. While overflying Saint-Chamond, near Saint-Etienne, black smoke was coming out from the aircraft that crashed 10 minutes later in Fontclauze, near Caloire, west of Saint-Etienne. The captain survived while all four other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt/C Maurice Suau, pilot,
Sgt Roger Pehau, flight engineer, †
Cpl Marie Robert Peperiot, radio navigator, †
O/M Albert Legendre, engineer. †
Passenger:
Sgt Charles Deguin. †

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.42W in Tiverton

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AAXD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris - Exeter
MSN:
HP.42/6
YOM:
1930
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was returning to Exeter after its crew dropped off Royal Air Force Command' staffs in Paris. While flying over Devon in marginal weather conditions, the crew was unable to locate the airport of Exeter nor to fix his position with certainty. Eventually, the captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing on the Tiverton Golf course when on final, the aircraft impacted two trees and crashed. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft named 'Horatius' was destroyed.

Crash of an Amiot 143 in Aumur: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1939 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
E-313
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Pontarlier
MSN:
89
YOM:
1937
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions (thunderstorm and turbulences), the airplane suffered an in-flight explosion and crashed near Aumur. Two crew members were killed and three others were injured. The airplane was completing a liaison flight from Paris-Le Bourget to Pontarlier.
Crew:
Sgt/C Burnel, pilot, †
Lt Roland, pilot, †
Adj Durand, mechanic,
Lt Bouchard, mechanic,
Sgt Castiglio, radio operator.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the airplane may have been struck by lightning.

Crash of a Potez 62.0 in Knapsack: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1939 at 1213 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-ANPJ
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Paris – Cologne – Berlin
MSN:
3926/4
YOM:
1935
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Paris to Berlin with an intermediate stop in Cologne. While on approach to Cologne-Butzweilerhof Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility. Some 7 km south of the airfield, the aircraft named 'Courlis' collided with a chimney and crashed in Knapsack, bursting into flames. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
André Tellet-Larente, pilot,
Jean-Pierre Pain, copilot,
René Harrault, radio navigator,
Guy Baranton, engineer.
Passengers:
Raoul Civet, journalist,
Mr. Buchalowski.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115B in Senlis: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1939 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HB-ITA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Zurich – Paris
MSN:
1329
YOM:
1935
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While descending to Paris-Le Bourget Airport in marginal weather conditions, the crew failed to realize he was flying too low. The twin engine aircraft hit the ground and lost partially its both wings before coming to rest in an open field located in Senlis, some 30 km northeast of Le Bourget Airport. The cabin remained relatively intact while the cockpit was destroyed. Two passengers and all three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Egon Frei, pilot,
Kurt Walter, radio navigator,
Josie Brooke, stewardess.

Crash of a Caudron C.440 Goéland in Nikki: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AOMT
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris - Nikki
MSN:
4/7269
YOM:
1936
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Nikki Airport, one of the engine caught fire and exploded. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed on runway, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed while the third occupant was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion upon landing.