Date & Time:
Jun 20, 1940 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.210
Operator:
Registration:
E-151
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Istres - Lézignan-Corbières - Toulouse
MSN:
257
YOM:
1939
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Istres-Le Tubé Airbase on a flight to Toulouse-Francazal with an intermediate stop in Lézignan-Corbières. It took off from Lézignan-Corbières Airfield at 0805LT for the second leg of the trip. While cruising at an altitude of 1,800 metres in clouds, the crew encountered icing conditions. Controls got jammed and the pilot bailed out when the airplane entered a dive and crashed onto a farm, bursting into flames. The pilot survived while three other occupants were killed.
Crew:
S/Lt Jean René Durand, pilot,
Sgt Louis d'Esperonnat, pilot,
Cpl/C Joseph Marie Gelin, mechanic,
Cpl Gilbert Augier, air gunner.
Crew:
S/Lt Jean René Durand, pilot,
Sgt Louis d'Esperonnat, pilot,
Cpl/C Joseph Marie Gelin, mechanic,
Cpl Gilbert Augier, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Icing.
