Crash of a Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard near Aïn Defla: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard
Operator:
Registration:
068
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Colomb-Béchar – Algiers
MSN:
114
YOM:
1958
Location:
Aïn Defla
Aïn Defla
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from Colomb-Béchar to Algiers, the single engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located in the Djebel Doui, south of Aïn Defla. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. The flight was operated on behalf of the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT).

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Molegbe

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1960
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Air Brousse
Registration:
OO-CJT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Léopoldville – Gbadolite
MSN:
6925
YOM:
1945
Location:
Gbadolite
Nord-Ubangi
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Gbadolite Airport, a fuel exhaustion forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The twin engine aircraft crash landed in Molegbe, about 7 km west of the airport and came to rest. All six occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Nord 2501 Noratlas near Batna: 11 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Nord 2501 Noratlas
Operator:
Registration:
22/F-RBHO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
022
YOM:
1954
Location:
Batna
Batna
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a night training exercice. In the evening, to avoid to be locked by 'enemy' Gloster Meteor, the crew decided to descent below the radar coverage when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Aurès Mountain Ranger, northwest of Batna. The wreckage was found eight hours later and all 11 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
P. M. Boch, pilot,
P. Guizard, pilot,
G. Lemaire, radio navigator,
N. P. Hulin,
R. J. Guezenec,
M. A. Watrin,
Mr. Bernard, observer,
Mr. Delbecque, observer,
Mr. Gauvry, observer,
Mr. Mathe, mechanic,
J. R. Helary.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4-1009 in El Badary

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1960 at 0854 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-4
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-CIG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Luxembourg – Cairo – Entebbe – Johannesburg
MSN:
42913
YOM:
1946
Flight number:
TRK033
Location:
El Badary
Asyut
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
61
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On the leg from Cairo to Entebbe, while cruising at an altitude of 9,500 feet, the engine number two caught fire. The crew feathered the propeller and elected to extinguish the fire but without success. As the fire could not be contained, the captain decided to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed in a sandy area located near El Badary, about 30 km south of Asyut and came to rest in flames. All 67 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
A heavy fuel leak from a sheared or cracked fuel pressure pipe, which was ignited by sparks from the generator.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4-1009 off Mpouya

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-4
Operator:
Registration:
YK-AAR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Accra – Léopoldville
MSN:
43097
YOM:
1947
Location:
Mpouya
Plateaux
Country:
Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While performing a cargo flight from Accra to Léopoldville, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines and elected to make an emergency landing. Eventually, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft in the Congo River off Mpouya, about 230 km northeast of Léopoldville. While the aircraft sank and was lost, all 14 occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
Engine problems.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation off Dakar: 63 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1960 at 0647 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHBC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Paris – Dakar – Monrovia – Abidjan
MSN:
4622
YOM:
1955
Flight number:
AF343
Location:
Dakar
Dakar Region
Country:
Senegal
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
63
Captain / Total flying hours:
20068
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7192
Aircraft flight hours:
16417
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Paris-Orly to Abidjan with intermediate stops at Dakar and Monrovia. While approaching Dakar just before sunset, the crew started an approach to runway 01 after declining an ILS approach to runway 30. The approach was abandoned due to low visibility caused by poor weather conditions and the captain decided to follow a holding pattern, waiting for an improvement of the weather conditions. Shortly after 0641LT, the crew started a second attempt to land on runway 01 but after reporting downwind at 0647LT, the airplane disappeared in a rain squall and crashed into the sea some 2,400 meters off the Mamelles lighthouse. The airplane sank by a depth of 40 meters and few debris and dead bodies were found about two hours later. All 63 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lucien Boirre, pilot,
Jean Roze, copilot,
Eugène Schuller, radio operator,
Jean-Camille Baty, mechanic,
Louis Meleder, mechanic,
Geneviève Sabourin, stewardess,
François Quiret, steward,
Albert-Émile Guepratte, steward.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences and to the fact that the aircraft was not equipped with flight recording systems, investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation in Port Louis

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1960 at 1747 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
Operator:
Registration:
VH-EAC
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Port Louis – Cocos Islands – Perth
MSN:
4606
YOM:
1955
Location:
Port Louis
All Mauritius
Country:
Mauritius
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
13842
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 13 at Port Louis-Plaisance Airport, at a speed of 115 knots (just before V1 speed), the engine number three suffered a technical failure. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and started an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the four engine airplane overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in flames 100 yards farther. All 50 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was completely destroyed by fire. Twenty people, among them four crew members, were injured.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the failure of the engine number three was not determined as well as the reason why the crew was unable to stop within the remaining distance. At the time of the accident, the runway was wet due to rain falls which may contribute to the event.

Crassh of a De Havilland DH.89B Dominie in Bordj Omar Driss

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1960
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Société Générale d'Affrètement Aérien (SGAA)
Registration:
F-OBHI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
6408
YOM:
1938
Location:
Bordj Omar Driss
Illizi
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing for unknown reason. Both occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas R5D-3 in Kénitra

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
56518
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
10744
YOM:
1945
Location:
Kenitra
Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances at Kenitra Airport. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and the occupant's fate remains unclear.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in El Kelâa des Sraghna: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1960 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
55.S.4
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris – Istres – Agadir
Location:
El Kelâa des Sraghna
Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
En route to Agadir at night, the crew informed ATC about an engine fire and elected to divert to Casablanca Airport. Shortly later, the airplane crashed in hilly terrain near El Kelâa des Sraghna, bursting into flames. All 20 occupants were killed. The airplane was also coded WU-26.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.
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