Crash of an AAC.1 Toucan in Pau: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAJS
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Pau
MSN:
020
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Pau-Uzein Airport, the three engine aircraft hit power cables and crashed in a field located few km short of the runway threshold. Two crew members, the radio navigator Jacques Favreau and the mechanic Eugène Houix, were killed. A third crew member survived.

Crash of an AAC.1 Toucan in Mahon

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAKO
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marseille – Algiers – Oran – Fes – Casablanca
MSN:
057
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a mail flight from Marseille to Algiers, an engine failed. The crew decided to divert to Mahon Airport but on final approach, the aircraft crashed. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

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

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1946 at 0120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BANP
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Pau – Bordeaux – Paris
MSN:
150
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, the crew was unable to locate the airfield due to low visibility caused by night and foggy conditions. While flying at a too low altitude, the three engine aircraft hit with a wing the top of a church located in Le Bouscat and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed. There were no casualties on the ground.
Crew:
Jean Perrin, pilot,
Hippolyte Le Coroller, radio navigator,
René Morin, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
Too low approach in foggy conditions.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian into the Atlantic Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1944 at 0650 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-CMU
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Montreal – Prestwick
MSN:
37004
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
TCA102
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Montreal-Dorval Airport at 2359LT on December 29 on a mail and VIP flight to Prestwick on behalf of the Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS). At 0649LT, the Goose Bay Control Center received a mayday signal when the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 23,000 feet some 600 miles east of Newfoundland. SAR mission was conducted but all operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the five occupants was found.
Crew:
Maurice Gauthier, pilot 3.
Passenger:
Alfred E. Evans, Chief of the British Admiralty Technical Mission in Ottawa.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the loss could not be determined.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-45-VE Flying Fortress IIIA into the Atlantic Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
9203
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
6397
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a mail flight from Morocco to the Azores Islands with three passengers on board, a crew of five and mail bags, on behalf of the 168th Heavy Transport Command. As the aircraft never arrived at destination, SAR operations were conducted but suspended after few days as no trace was found. Few mail bags were discovered later.

Crash of a Caudron C.440 Goéland in Rennes: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAAU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Rennes Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed in flames short of runway. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Pierre Brule, pilot,
Paul Farenkoff, radio navigator,
Mr. Dauphin, mechanic.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK near RAF Valley: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1944 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
43-48473
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Paris - Warrington
MSN:
14289/25734
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left Paris-Le Bourget Airport in the morning with mail bags and various goods. While flying over Wales, the crew was contacted by ground and instructed to divert to RAF Valley due to the deterioration of the weather conditions. After he changed his heading, the crew encountered marginal weather and shortly later, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a rocky mountain and was destroyed. First rescuers arrived on site ten days later and all four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E-BO Flying Fortress in Prestwick: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
9207
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2392
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a mail flight from Prestwick to Canada with the RCAF courier on board. Shortly after take off, the aircraft went into a steep climb, stalled and crashed at full power. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and all five occupants from the 168th Squadron were killed.
Probable cause:
No official cause of crash was found. Nevertheless, some reports theorized that cargo shifted shortly after rotation, causing the aircraft stall and crash. The aircraft did not have final version of RCAF developed mail restraints installed.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Saint John's

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-5045
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York – Saint John’s
MSN:
77
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the single engine aircraft went out of control and came to rest on the runway edge. The pilot was slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. He was completing a mail flight from New York.

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.