Ain

Shortly after takeoff from Ambérieu-en-Bugey Airfield, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Bernard Germain, pilot.
Passengers:
AdjC Jean-Claude Canet,
Maj André Duquesnoy,
Maj Henri Sothier,
AdjC Joseph Buffet,
AdjC Bernard Rovoyard.

Flight IT 2611 was a scheduled domestic flight from Lille to Nice with an intermediate stop at Lyon. It took off from Lille at 1151 hours GMT, on an IFR flight plan. Estimated flying time between Lille and Lyon was 1 hour 21 min., cruising at flight level 150. Until 1300 hours, when it began its descent, the flight had been normal; at 1309:50, it reported to Marseilles Control that it was above Tramoyes at flight level 40, and was cleared to Lyon Approach, which was contacted at approximately 1310Z. The flight was then in position for a direct approach to runway 17. At this point Lyon Control having a Caravelle ready to take off asked the aircraft to hold momentarily over Tramoyes at flight level 30. After having first agreed, the flight reported that it was in a severe storm and requested permission to descend below flight level 25, at 1313 hours. Lyon then cleared the flight for a straight-in approach to runway 17. This was acknowledged by the aircraft, Subsequent calls from Lyon Control were not replied. The flight was seen by witnesses in the heart of a storm flying very low in an easterly direction around 1320 hours. At 1326 the aircraft was not visible on Satolas Control radar. It was subsequently found that the aircraft had hit trees, the roof of a farmhouse and a telephone pole before crashing into a field, 15 km from Lyon/Bron airport, at an altitude of 300 m (100 metres higher than the airport) at approximately 1319 hours. Four occupants, among them a crew member, were seriously injured while 12 other occupants were killed. Few hours later, three of the survivors died from their injuries and a little girl was the only survivor. In the farmhouse, a boy was seriously injured while a second one was killed.
Crew:
Georges Valencia, pilot,
Guy Cleret-Langavant, copilot,
Christiane Souleil, stewardess,
Liliane Perois, stewardess.

The twin engine aircraft was performing a flight from Vélizy-Villacoublay to Marseille with three passengers and a pilot. En route, the crew encountered poor weather with severe icing conditions. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Les Moulins des Ponts, near Bény, some 18 km north of Bourg-en-Bresse. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Maryse Hilsz, famous French aviation pilot and pioneer.
Passengers:
Lt Paul Rousset,
Lt Paul Bétou,
Lt Georges Merlin.

Enroute, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with fog and lost his orientation. Later, both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion and the captain decided to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

The crew was perform a short flight from Dole to Ambérieu-en-Bugey Airfield, on behalf of the 316th Squadron. While cruising in low visibility due to foggy conditions, the aircraft hit a hill near the locality of Valresson. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.

The crew was performing a flight from Salon-de-Provence to the makeshift airfield of Loyettes, Ain. On approach, the aircraft hit a hill and crashed near Leyrieu, killing all 15 occupants.
Crew (27th Fighter Group):
Cpt Glenn T. Maltby Jr., pilot,
Cpt Thomas F. Gillmore, mechanic,
S/Sgt Carl L. Williams Jr.,
Cpl Peter Roberts,
Cpt Vernon J. Herbert,
Cpl Stuart E. Mather,
Cpl Lawrence K. Weckel,
1st Lt Peter L. Whelan,
1st Lt Frank W. Sobierajski,
T/Sgt James T. Lee,
S/Sgt John W. Utkewitch Jr.,
Cpl Kurt D. Meyer,
Harry Wilner,
Arthur H. Towler, employee of Republic Aviation,
Harry J. Conley, technician by Pratt & Whitney Canada.

While engaged in a bombing mission over Saarbrücken, the aircraft was attacked by enemy fire. The crew was able to leave Germany and flew to France. Eventually, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing and the aircraft crash landed in Port, near Nantua. While all ten occupants were unhurt and evaded, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was engaged in a supply mission to the French Resistance and left RAF Lakenheath at 2112LT on April 10. While cruising by night over the French department of Ain, the aircraft was shot down by Flak and crashed on the roof of a farm. Two crew were able to leave the scene by themselves while all five other occupants were killed.
Crew (149th Squadron):
P/O D. Bray, pilot, †
P/O D. L. Northover, navigator, †
Sgt G. Cameron, bombardier, †
F/Sgt J. Turner, radio, †
Sgt A. E. Bristow, engineer, †
Sgt D. E. Cadge, air gunner,
F/Sgt N. C. H. Pilgrim, air gunner.

Crew was completing a supply mission to the French Resistance. While overflying Ain in snow falls, aircraft went out of control and crashed in Bois de Valorse, near Hauteville-Lompnes. All 7 crew of the 196th Squadron were killed.

The aircraft left RAF Downham Market at 2019LT on August 16 on a bombing mission to Torino, Italy. While flying over the east part of France at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field in Saint German en Bugey. A crew member was taken PoW, another evaded while five others were killed.
Crew (218th Squadron):
W/O S. F. Chudzik, †
Sgt D. Deans, †
Sgt C. E. Taylor, †
Sgt D. P. J. Rawlings, †
Sgt J. D. Bates, †
Sgt J. L. Paterson,
Sgt W. L. McKinnon.