Gard | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The pilot, sole on board, departed Nîmes-Garons Airport at 1648LT on a fire fighting mission over Générac, a village located about 5 km southwest of the airbase. While approaching the zone to be treated, the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the pilot was killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to thick smoke.

Probable cause:

The following findings were identified:
- GASC (Groupement d’avions de la sécurité civile) has a small resource of Tracker pilots;
- Without a co-pilot, the pilot is deprived of the usual cross-checking of piloting decisions and actions;
- The pilot has little experience on established firefighting missions. He has never carried out a mission of this nature in a single-pilot aircraft;
- Certain limitations of the flight envelope are unknown to pilots, particularly at high weight and in steep turns;
- Pilots have little knowledge of the aerological phenomena associated with certain fires, and the associated turbulence;
- With the implementation of the Tracker withdrawal, pilots are concerned about their future within the GASC;
- Fatigued from sustained activity, the pilot had a false understanding of the situation;
- The pilot suffered from overconfidence;
- The pilot did not perceive the terrain. He flew a little low as he approached the hill ;
- He adopted a trajectory very close to the flame front and did not anticipate the risk of turbulence;
- Focused on a dwelling to protect, he did not detect the inappropriate altitude of his plane and maintained a strong bank;
- The left wing underwent a local stall causing a steep left bank, which caused the pilot to recover the aircraft too low in relation to the height of the trees, which he had a false idea of.

Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600 near La Grand-Combe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1989 at 1721 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

C-GSFS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Aubenas - Aubenas

MSN:

10473

YOM:

1972

Flight number:

Pélican 27

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

8053

Aircraft flight cycles:

8886

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft, departed Aubenas-Vals-Lanas Airport on a firefighting mission on behalf of the French Sécurité Civile. While approaching the zone under fire at low height, the aircraft struck the ground and exploded. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of loss of control in a presentation turn at a very low height. This loss of control was the result of an overly brutal maneuver by the crew because the airplane's position at the start of the presentation was wrong.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Excessive workload for the captain,
- Different languages used between both flight crew members,
- Operational practices at the Sécutivé Civile that left too much improvisation over the drop zone,
_ Lack of visibility on short final.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X near Le Vigan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 619 Wellington X

Operator:

Registration:

RP383

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Northolt – Luqa

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in poor weather conditions and at an insufficient altitude, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain shrouded in clouds. The wreckage was found near Le Vigan, about 45 km north of Montpellier. All seven crew members were killed. It was determined that the aircraft was slightly off course at the time of the accident, maybe following a navigational error on part of the crew. The poor visibility caused by low clouds was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL off Montfaucon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1944 at 1649 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

41-18448

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Ambérieu-en-Bugey – Istres

MSN:

4510

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew already completed two prior similar flights during the day, carrying staff from Ambérieu-en-Bugey to Istres AFB. En route, while flying along the Rhône River at an altitude of some 500 feet, the right engine failed. The captain decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing on the river. At low height, the aircraft hit a ferry cable and crashed into the river. In fifteen minutes, all seven occupants were able to leave the cabin and while six of them could swim to the shore, a passenger drowned. The aircraft drifted on several yards before coming to rest in Montfaucon.
Crew:
1st Lt Jack V. Devette, pilot,
2nd Lt Clifton E. Smith, copilot,
T/Sgt Raymond F. Foy, mechanic,
S/Sgt Bonnell Chambers Birkhead Jr., radio operator.
Passengers:
Milton Kushner,
Kenneth N. Spry,
Paul R. Gwaltney. †

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Potez 662 near Valleraugue: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1941 at 1303 LT

Type of aircraft:

Potez 662

Operator:

Registration:

F-ARAY

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Algiers – Vichy

MSN:

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

The four engine airplane departed Algiers Airport at 0830LT on a flight to Vichy with a crew of four and three passengers on board. At 1247LT, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the crew informed ATC he wanted to divert to Marseille due to icing conditions. Sixteen minutes later, the aircraft lost altitude, hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located on the south slope of Mt Aigoual, near the Minier Pass, north of Villeraugue. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire. All seven occupants were killed, among them the French General Charles Huntziger, Chief of Ground Forces. Unique example built in 1937, the aircraft was named 'Plus est en nous'.
Crew:
Jean Lefèvre, pilot,
Cpt François Roccaboy.
Passengers:
General Charles Huntziger,
Jean Labusquière, Chief of Staff,
Captain de Royère +2.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was unable to maintain a safe altitude due to severe icing conditions.

Crash of a Caudron C.445 Goéland in Cardet: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1939 at 1240 LT

Type of aircraft:

Caudron C.440 Goéland

Operator:

Registration:

T-895

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Avord - Istres

MSN:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

En route from Avord to Istres to transfer the squadron, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy snow falls. The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Cardet, about 12 km south of Alès. All three crew members from the 51st Bomb Squad were killed.
Crew:
Adj Camille Mabile, pilot,
Sgt Pierre Gasparini, pilot,
Sgt François Croguennec, mechanic.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.6A Envoy I near Alès: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1936

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.6 Envoy

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADCA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Croydon – Paris – Barcelona

MSN:

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was on its way to Barcelona to be delivered to the Spanish Air Force (Aviación Nacional). While cruising over the region of Alès, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances, killing both crew members. Owned by Rollason Aircraft Services, the airplane was operated on behalf of the French Office Général de l'Air (OGA) according to an international treaty between England, France and Spain.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth near Génolhac

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1934

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth

Operator:

Harold Leslie Brook

Registration:

G-ABXY

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2241

YOM:

1932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The pilot departed Lympne Airport in the morning on a solo flight to Australia. While overflying the Cévennes National Park in France, he encountered freezing fog. The single engine airplane lost altitude and eventually crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Mont Lozère, near Génolhac. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control due an excessive accumulation of ice/frost while flying in freezing fog conditions.

Crash of a Latécoère 25/3R in Saint-Gilles

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Latécoère 25

Operator:

Registration:

F-AIHD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Barcelona – Marseille

MSN:

605

YOM:

1927

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

An unknown technical failure forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing in Saint-Gilles, south of Nimes. While both occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The pilot was Louis Roidot.

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