Africa

Crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located 32 km northwest of Andapa. The wreckage was found two weeks later, on June 15. All four crew members were killed.

The Sabena flight, originating at Brussels, Belgium had departed Lisbon following an intermediate stop on a flight to Leopoldville (now Kinshasa), Belgian Congo. Vibration in the no. 1 engine forced the crew to shut it down. Casablanca ACC was advised that the flight wanted to make an emergency landing there. At 04:19 a runway 21 approach was attempted, but the aircraft did not touch down. Some 600 m past the runway threshold at a height of 5 m and with landing gear down and full flaps, full power was applied. The DC-7 then climbed in a sharp left turn. Reaching a height of 25 m, the plane stalled, crashed into buildings and caught fire. The correct procedure for going around would have been to apply full throttle only gradually attaining V2 speed; retracting the landing gear; and, at 115 kt, retracting the flaps from 50 to 20°.

The crew encountered a sand storm while approaching In Salah Airport. On final, in limited visibility, the aircraft was too low and struck a sand dune short of runway. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane belly landed in sand before coming to rest. Both engines number two and three detached. There were no casualties.

While approaching Cairo Intl Airport following an uneventful flight from Athens, the crew was instructed by ATC to divert to Port-Said due to poor weather conditions at destination. The crew continued to Port-Said and on approach, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed into the Manzala Lake located few km from the airfield. All four crew members and four passengers were killed while 18 other occupants were injured.

At liftoff, the single engine airplane struck a stone wall and crashed inverted. The pilot was injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crashed in unknown circumstances at Debre Zeit-Harar Meda Airport located about 40 km southeast of Addis Ababa. The crew fate remains unknown.

On 7 December the aircraft flew down to Fezzan from Idris Airport to the Esso (Petroleum Ltd.) camp at Wadi al Atshan - a flight of some 400 miles. From Atshan it made one local flight of 45 minutes duration. The aircraft was then refuelled at Atshan and set off at 1427LT for the return journey to Idris Airport where it was expected to arrive at 1800LT with 2 crew and 4 passengers aboard. When the aircraft failed to arrive, a series of radio checks were carried out followed by a widespread air and surface search. The wreckage was sighted the next day. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all six occupants have been killed.

The airplane was engaged in a dropping mission when the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near Tiznit and was destroyed, killing all nine occupants.

The seaplane overturned while landing in the harbor of Port-Étienne by night. Three crew members were killed while eight others were injured. Few hours later, two of the survivors died from their injuries.
Crew (27F Squadron):
Lt Pierre Kerblat, pilot, †
2nd Mst Savannaz, pilot,
1st Mst René Gaspard, radio operator, †
2nd Mst Revert, radio operator,
2nd Mst Marc, navigator, †
2nd Mst Orlowrai, navigator,
2nd Mst Lucien Laloux, mechanic, †
2nd Mst Proco, mechanic,
2nd Mst Le Bars, gunner, †
2nd Mst Lachasseigne, gunner,
2nd Mst Bonnet, gunner.

Shortly after takeoff from Oran-Es Senia Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed 3 km from the airfield. All eight crew members were killed.