Country
France

Crash of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator near N'Gaoundéré: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1952 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated LB-30 Liberator
Operator:
Société de Transports Aériens Alpes Provence - STAAP
Registration:
F-BEFX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
N'Gaoundéré - N'Gaoundéré
MSN:
12
Location:
N'Gaoundéré
Adamaoua
Country:
Cameroon
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
6087
Captain / Total hours on type:
395.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2698
Copilot / Total hours on type:
33
Aircraft flight hours:
7465
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local test flight after the engine number four was changed. The airplane left N'Gaoundéré Airport at 1250LT. The captain made profit of this flight to improve the skills of the copilot who should be promoted as captain. While cruising in good weather conditions, the aircraft banked left, dove into the ground and crashed about 37 km southwest of N'Gaoundéré. As the airplane failed to come back to its base, SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was found in an isolated area a day later. All eight occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by a collision with trees and the airplane was banking substantially to the left. The cause of this could not be specified due to lack of evidence due to the destruction of the wreck. Certain facts for which a specific explanation could not be found were:
- Extension of the duration of the flight,
- Radio silence,
- Stopping of engine number four,
- Pitch of the propeller on engine three.
Above all these findings, it was established that the crew was flying at low height few minutes before the accident according to the testimony of farmer. The reason for this could not be determined with certainty.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK into the Balearic Sea: 39 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1951 at 1228 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Société de Transports Aériens Alpes Provence - STAAP
Registration:
F-BEIZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Toulouse – Perpignan – Oran
MSN:
15985/32733
YOM:
1945
Location:
Balearic Sea
Balearic Islands
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
39
Circumstances:
The pilot prepared an IFR flight plan for a direct flight from Perpignan to Oran, at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the duration to be 3 hours and 15 minutes. Algiers was listed as the alternate. At 1045LT the crew requested take-off instructions from Perpignan control tower and following engine run-up, a normal take-off was made at 1045LT. After taking-off the aircraft was seen climbing away, somewhat off the SSE heading (this is the conventional procedure, consisting in flying round Cape Creus in order to avoid the Alberes mountains before heading for Oran. At 1056LT the aircraft made radiotelegraphy contact with Perpignan navigational D/F and reported true track: 202 degrees, good visibility, altitude: 8,000 feet and a magnetic bearing (QDR) was requested. At 1058LT the D/F station transmitted a QDR of 1620 and reported in its log strong interference caused by static. At 1131LT the aircraft contacted Aix area control centre and reported Barcelona abeam. At 1200LT the aircraft contacted Algiers area control centre and reported ETA at Oran 1415LT, altitude 8,000 feet, flying sometimes below and sometimes in clouds (QBH-QBF) and reported static interference and requested a true bearing from Algiers (QTE). Algiers replied at 1158LT QTE = 3320. At 1216LT the aircraft reported position at 1208LT hours was 40°N 25°E, ETA Oran 1410LT. At 1226LT, the last message was received from the aircraft, bearing on Algiers 3170, altitude 8,000 feet, flying in cloud and requested clearance to descend to 6,000 feet. About two minutes later, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into sea, about 60 km north of Cap de la Nau and about 50 km northwest of the Ibiza Island. Few debris and dead bodies were found four days later. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and sank, and all 39 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Meteorological conditions encountered on the day of the accident were in accordance with the forecast transmitted to the crew during the stopover in Perpignan. They were considered acceptable to a smart commander but were likely to be risky for a crew whose experience was considered to be low, which was the case at the present time. In the absence of evidence, investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it is believed that the accident was caused by the failure of the airframe following a loss of control in difficult weather conditions into which the pilot had flown the aircraft.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Laghouat: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Société de Transports Aériens Alpes Provence - STAAP
Registration:
F-BEFK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Algiers – Gao
MSN:
19471
YOM:
1944
Location:
Laghouat
Laghouat
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route to Gao, an engine failed, forcing the captain to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed near Laghouat and was written off. A crew member was killed.
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