Morbihan

On the morning of the day of the accident, the pilot, accompanied by a passenger, flew under IFR flight mode from La Môle (83) to Quiberon (56). The flight took 3 hours and 40 minutes and the return was scheduled in the afternoon. After landing in Quiberon, the pilot learned that there was no possibility to refuel with AVGAS, information that was not specified by NOTAM. The pilot then decided to refuel at Vannes-Meucon Airport before leaving to St Tropez-La Môle. He said he was upset by this situation and by the bad weather conditions in the area. During the pre-flight visit to Quiberon, the pilot added oil. He indicates that he also carried out a pre-flight inspection before takeoff from Vannes. During the takeoff roll from runway 22 at Vannes-Meucon Airport, the rotation took place in the first third of the runway. Just after liftoff, he saw the engine cowling open. He immediately thaught he forgot to tighten the dipstick and decided to abort the takeoff and landed on the remaining runway. The runway being long, he believed he can stop before the runway end. He put the power levers in the "full, reduced and choke" position and tried to land the plane quickly. As the aircraft already reached a high speed, it landed 200 metres short of runway end and deviated longitudinally and crossed the runway end safety area, known as RESA. It came to a stop a 100 metres further on an embankment. The left wing was partially torn off and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. There was no fire. Both occupants escaped uninjured.

Following an uneventful flight from Lyon-Satolas Airport, the crew was approaching Lorient-Lann-Bihoué Airport when he contacted ATC and requested a special clearance to cancel his IFR flight plan for a visual circuit over the Bay of Quiberon to show the 'Norway' ship (ex France) to the passengers. While cruising under VFR mode in excellent weather conditions at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft collided with a private Cessna 177 Cardinal registered F-GAJE and owned by the Aéro Club de Vannes. Following the collision, both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the Bay of Quiberon about 1,500 metres from the ship and 10 km off Quiberon. All 14 people on board the Beech 1900D as well as the pilot of the Cessna 177 were killed.

On approach to Lorient-Lann-Bihoué NAS, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with fog. On final, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed few hundred yards short of runway 26 threshold. Three crew members were seriously wounded while six others were killed.
Those killed were:
Ens Valbur, pilot,
O/T Lars, copilot,
1st Mst Busson, navigator,
1st Mst Jaffré, electrician,
1st Mst Le Goff, mechanic,
2nd Mst Le Bihan, mechanic.

The airplane was engaged in a tactical exercice over the Atlantic Ocean and was carrying 12 members of the Escadrille 25F. Shortly after a night takeoff from Lorient-Lann-Bihoué Naval Air Station, while in initial climb in poor weather conditions, the airplane entered a left turn then plunged into the earth and crashed onto a small hill located in Kergantic, about 3 km southwest of the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Henri Debray,
S/S Yvon Sivy,
1st Mst Michel Bioux,
1st Mst Louis Jacquemard,
1st Mst Gérard Donaghy,
1st Mst Achille Le Riblair,
1st Mst René Milewski,
1st Mst Pierre Le Guerroué,
1st Mst Roger Perrucchieti,
Mst Jacques Bigot,
Mst Jean-Pierre Frangé,
Mst Jean-Marie Frison.

Crashed near Lorient after being shot down. Crew fate unknown.

The airplane departed RAF Wigsley to lay mines off the French coast. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the Quiberon Bay. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O John Edward Maloney, pilot,
Sgt Calder Felton Woodburn, navigator,
F/O Harry Neville Young, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Horace Edward Rowley, wireless operator and air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Bourn to lay mines off Lorient. It crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off the French coast and was lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt John Saunders Weaver, pilot,
Sgt Hector Thomas Moore Cooper, pilot,
Sgt Ioan Henri Roberts, navigator,
P/O Norman Ernest Myring, observer,
Sgt John Harley Dixon, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Claude William Valder, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe on a mine laying operation off Lorient. It crashed into the sea off Isle of Groix, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O James Duncan Crombie, pilot,
Sgt Harry Naughton Deckman, observer,
Sgt Frank Manley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Charles Ronald Clive Perry, wireless operator and air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Waddington at 1950LT on a mine laying operation off Lorient. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Lyster Warren-Smith, pilot,
Sgt Richard Alfred Marston, pilot,
Sgt Clive Edward Wigram Clifford, navigator,
Sgt Alistair Fraser Murdock, navigator,
Sgt Edward Burgess Cluff, wireless operator,
Sgt John Boyd, wireless operator,
Sgt Willliam Harold Flower, air gunner,
Sgt John McNally Davidson, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 0217LT on a mine laying operation off Lorient (Artichokes area). It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed in the sea off the target area. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/O Allan Godfrey Davidson, pilot,
Sgt Leslie Norman Follows, copilot,
Sgt William Mervyn Alastair Eeadley, wireless operator,
Sgt Gordon Shackleton, air gunner.