Drôme

En route from Avord to Istres to transfer the squadron, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy snow falls. Too low, the airplane impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located in Gresou, near Divajeu, some 20 km northeast of Montélimar. All three crewmen from the 51st Bomb Squad were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Marcel Descoudras, pilot,
Sgt Armand Lautrette,
Sgt Jean Saulnier.

The airplane departed Istres-Le Tubé AFB at 2145LT on a flight to Lyon-Bron on behalf of the Centre d'Essais en Vol based at Istres Airport. While cruising at low altitude in excellent weather conditions, the airplane impacted the ground and crashed near Albon, about 30 km south of Vienne. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Richaud, pilot,
Adj Courant, pilot,
Sgt/C Perriat, copilot,
Adj Cazenave, radio operator,
Sgt/C Brunet, mechanic.

The crew was performing a flight from Lyon-Bron to Marseille-Marginane on behalf of the Reconnaissance Group II/35 based in Lyon-Bron. While overflying the Perdrialon Valley, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in Bathernay, some 30 km north of Valence, Drôme. All five crewmen were killed.
Crew:
Lt Henri Louis André Méry, pilot,
2nd Lt Bernard Augustin Martin des Pallières, pilot,
Sgt/C Henri Auguste Chapuis, engineer,
Sgt Alexandre Edmond Jourdain, radio,
Sgt René Jean-Marie Vailly, gunner.

The aircraft departed Lyon-Bron Airport at 1315LT and proceeded to the south. While cruising southeast of Valence, the crew failed to realize he was flying too low. In foggy conditions, the twin engine aircraft named 'L'Épervier' impacted the slope of the 'Pas de la Motte' Peak located south of Saillans. The pilot and the radio navigator were killed while all five other occupants were injured. On board were three passengers and a crew of four: one pilot, one radio navigator, one barman and one assistant barman.
Those killed were:
Gilbert Risser, pilot,
Robert Jannon, radio navigator.

The four engine airplane departed Rome-Urbe Airport on a schedule service to Paris with an intermediate stop in Lyon, carrying 15 passengers and a crew of three. While cruising along the Rhône River, the crew encountered stormy weather when the aircraft was struck by lightning. The captain reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a pasture located in Le Creux de la Thine, near the Saint-Rambert-d'Albon Aerodrome. All 18 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

While cruising over the Alps and approaching the Lus-la-Croix-Haute Pass from the south, the pilot encountered misty conditions and the visibility was low. The aircraft hit the ground and crashed near the pass. The pilot Albert Bouthier and two passengers were killed while two other passengers were injured. The aircraft was returning to Paris with few other airplanes from the same operator, carrying some 20 models accompanying the French fashion designer Aline Chiffon. It was descending to Grenoble-Moirans Airport, a scheduled intermediate stop before continuing to Dijon and Paris.
Crew:
Albert Bouthier, pilot. †
Passengers:
Mrs. Aluta (aka Aline Chiffon), †
Mr. Arbeau, †
Mrs. Soskins,
Mr. Amon.

The crew was returning to Italy from the Svalbard (Spitzberg) archipelago after taking part to a SAR mission for the Italian Dirigible named 'Italia' that crashed during the summer time. En route, while cruising along the Rhône River, some 2 km south of Valence, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to heavy rain falls. The captain decided to return and made a sharp turn to the right at low altitude. The seaplane hit the power cables of the electricity company of Vercors, stalled and crashed in the Rhône River. Three crew members, among them both pilots, were killed. Two mechanics were slightly injured. The aircraft named 'Marina II' was destroyed.
Crew:
Cpt Gian Luigi Pinzo, pilot, †
Lt Tulio Crosio, copilot, †
Off Giuseppe Della Gatta, engineer, †
Mr. Codoniosto, mechanic,
Mr. Barrachini, mechanic.

The crew was performing the first postal flight between Paris and Rome, Italy. The aircraft departed Villacoublay Airport at 0600LT. While overflying Drôme, the crew encountered strong winds from the north and one of the engines seems to have problems. The crew elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field located in Coinaud, near Saint-Rambert-d’Albon. Both occupants were killed.
Crew:
Jules Védrines, pilot
Marcel Guillain, navigator.