Aisne | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The single engine aircraft was engaged in a local skydiving flight on behalf of the CERP of Picardie. After takeoff from runway 35, while climbing to a height of about 1,000 feet, the aircraft rolled to the right, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a swampy area located about 1,500 metres east of the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of a loss of pitch control of the aircraft following the appearance of extreme forces on the elevator control caused by placing the stabilizer in the full nose down position depth. The actions of the pilot on the flight controls led to this situation of aerodynamic locking of the elevator stabilizer control, presumably interpreted as a mechanical blockage of the system. This phenomenon, specific to airplanes equipped with such a stabilizer system depth and linked to the importance of the forces involved, was it not known to the pilot. The training on PC-6/B2-H4 that the pilot had followed as well as his weak experience on PC-6/B2-H2, associated with the ergonomics of the manual flaps and stabilizer, are contributing factors.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove in Cugny: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1959

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

OO-DAL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

04011

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While completing a training flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the airplane struck a high tension pylon and crashed in flames in a field located in Cugny. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots, an instructor (Joannes Asperslag) and a student pilot (Yves Delabyand) were killed.

Probable cause:

Pilot error.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando in Taillefontaine: 44 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

44-77507

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

32903

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on its way to Paris with 40 US and German wounded and unnamed soldiers on board. Enroute, an engine caught fire and exploded. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field near the village of Taillefontaine. All 44 occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Rex L. Pond,
1st Lt Claude H. Weid,
Sgt Edward Vermillion,
Sgt Edward Hill.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Laon

Date & Time: May 14, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Noorduyn Norseman

Operator:

Registration:

43-35361

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

435

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while the pilot, Robert W. Haskell, was unhurt.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Maizy: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1944 at 2332 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

ND592

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft left RAF Oakington at 2124LT to attack the railway network at Laon, France. After dropping the bombs by night, the aircraft was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a field located in Maizy. All seven crew members were killed. Claim by Uffz Konrad Beyer 1/NJG4 at an altitude of 2,800 meters.
Crew (7th Squadron):
P/O Percy Aslett, pilot,
F/S James Wilfred Bott, flight engineer,
P/O Hugh Boyd Cooper, navigator,
F/S Thomas Horton, air bomber,
F/S Laurence Alfred Scott, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Francis William Ingham, air gunner,
P/O Leon Francis George Noakes, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 in Crécy-sur-Serre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1942 at 1520 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

6380

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Crécy-sur-Serre, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Uffz Alfons Janning, pilot,
Ogfr Erwin Beckstädter, observer,
Fw Georg Minnecker, radio operator,
Uffz Otto Müller, air gunner.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-3 in Autremencourt: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 1440 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

3307

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane was approaching Laon-Chambry AFB when it collided with a second Luftwaffe He.111 that was approaching the same airbase. Both airplanes crashed in Autremencourt, about 13 km northeast of the airfield. All eight occupants in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
Lt Jürgen Kübel, pilot,
Ogfr Karl Fücker, observer,
Gefr Leopold Breier, radio operator,
Ogfr Hermann Janicke, air gunner.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-3 in Autremencourt: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 1440 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

2892

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was approaching Laon-Chambry AFB when it collided with a second Luftwaffe He.111 that was approaching the same airbase. Both airplanes crashed in Autremencourt, about 13 km northeast of the airfield. All eight occupants in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
Lt Heinz Weyharer, pilot,
Ogfr Erich Weikert, observer,
Gefr Sepp Rampf, radio operator,
Ogfr Willi Gaul, mechanic.

Crash of a Martin 167 Maryland in Brécy: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1940 at 0700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Martin 167 Maryland

Operator:

Registration:

154

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteauroux - Châteauroux

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Châteauroux Airport to attack German troops in the region of Château-Thierry and Oulchy-le-Château. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in flames in an open field. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured.
Crew:
Lt Edouard Seguin, pilot, †
Sgt Jean Marie Masson, pilot, †
Sgt/C Guenou, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Martin 167 Maryland in Beugneux: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Martin 167 Maryland

Operator:

Registration:

133

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in a bombing mission over armored columns in the region of Reims when it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Beugneux. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured.
Crew:
Sgt Daniel Davan, pilot,
Adj/C Marius Philippe Barraud, pilot, †
Sgt Henri Eusèbe Oscar Panier, radio operator. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.