Yonne | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed Annecy-Meythet Airport at 1033LT on a flight to Toussus-le-Noble, carrying five passengers and one pilot. The flying time was approximately one hour under IFR mode. At 1111LT, while cruising at FL180 near Auxerre, heading to EBOMA, the pilot informed ATC he was ready for the descent. He was cleared to descend to FL120 when the aircraft started to drift to the left of the airway. Two minutes later, ATC informed the pilot about the deviation and the pilot acknowledged and initiated a turn to the right when control was lost. The airplane entered a dive and reached an excessive vertical speed until it crashed in an open field. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all six occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Investigation did not reveal any technical element that could have contributed to the accident. However, considering the fact that the aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact, it was not possible to carry out all the examinations generally carried out on a wreck. It is possible the aircraft was flying in moderate icing conditions. Investigation could not determine if the deicing systems were activated. However, analysis of the flight path shows that the cruising speed was stable until the descent, which tends to indicate an absence of icing of the aircraft in normal cruise. A rapid and heavy icing of the aircraft during the descent making the aircraft to be difficult to control seems unlikely given the icing conditions predicted by Météo France. Investigations were unable to determine the reasons for the loss of control. Maybe it occurred during an unusual situation or any failure. Whatever the reasons, the lack of experience of the pilot on TBM-700, especially in the absence of visual references, may increase his workload beyond his capabilities, not allowing him to regain control of the aircraft. Once the loss of control occurred, given the weather conditions, it is very likely that the pilot did not recover any visual references until the collision with the ground.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 690B near Auxerre: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1981

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Grand Commander 690

Operator:

Registration:

D-IKOC

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lyon - Paris

MSN:

690B-11498

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane departed Lyon-Bron Airport on a taxi flight to Paris-Le Bourget. En route, it went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in an open field located near Auxerre. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of an Amiot 354 in Beugnon: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1940 at 0010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Amiot 354

Operator:

Registration:

I-078

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Saint-Florentin - Saint-Florentin

MSN:

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4000

Circumstances:

The crew departed Saint-Florentin Airfield on a night training flight. While flying at a height of 100 metres, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed at high speed in a swamp. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Marcel Decombe, pilot,
Sgt Lucien Louis Léon Clément, radio operator,
Adj Pierre Eugène Marcel Carteron, mechanic.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane after the elevators got jammed, maybe because of a steel pin.

Crash of a Bloch MB.210 in Pont-sur-Yonne: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1940 at 0330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bloch MB.210

Operator:

Registration:

E-647

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Pont-sur-Yonne - Pont-sur-Yonne

MSN:

170

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

600

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1230

Circumstances:

The crew was returning to his base in Pont-sur-Yonne following a bombing mission over Guise. Upon a night landing, the airplane was not properly aligned and landed to the right of the landing area, colliding with two LeO 45. The aircraft crashed and burst into flames. All five crew members were injured, two seriously. The captain died from injuries sustained on June 26, 1940.
Crew:
S/Lt Paul Etienne Joseph Roure, pilot, †
Sgt/C Suau, pilot,
Lt Terrien, observer,
Sgt Ficheux, air gunner,
Cpl Gardiol, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Auxerre: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N6157

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9257

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While on a training flight, the airplane went out of control and crashed near Auxerre. A crew survived while two others were killed.
Crew:
P/O R. W. Farrow, †
Sgt Wallis,
AC2 A. W. B. Sanders. †

Crash of a Potez 62.0 in Auxerre

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1935

Type of aircraft:

Potez 62 (62.0 & 62.1)

Operator:

Registration:

F-ANPH

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Marseille – Lyon – Paris

MSN:

3845/2

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising over the Morvan Mountains, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls and icing. The right engine failed, most probably due to icing, so the captain decided to divert to Auxerre Airport. On approach, the left engine failed as well. Aware he was unable to reach the airport, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing in a snow covered field located few km short of runway. The airplane named 'Cormoran' landed hard then slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All seven occupants evacuated safely and were able to unload all mail bags and cargo when 15 minutes later, a fire erupted and consumed the aircraft that was totally destroyed.
Crew:
Mr. Chovard, pilot,
Mr. Doussemain, radio navigator,
Mr. Berbruck, flight engineer,
Mr. Lachance, steward.

Probable cause:

Engine failure caused by icing.

Crash of a Blériot Spad 56/4 in Beauvoir

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1930 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Blériot Spad 56

Operator:

Registration:

F-AIYA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Paris – Geneva – Lucerne

MSN:

18/4411

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport at 1145LT on a regular schedule service to Lucerne with an intermediate stop in Geneva. After takeoff, the pilot passed over Fontainebleau then continued to the southeast. Less than an hour into the flight, while cruising in light rain, the engine failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in an open field (he later said he saw a 300 metres long field to land). On short final, he saw a walnut tree and made a turn to the left to avoid the collision when the left wing impacted two apple-trees and crashed in an orchard. Five occupants were slightly injured, a sixth was more wounded and transferred to hospital. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair as both wings were torn off.
Crew:
René Charpentier, pilot + one mechanic.
Passengers:
Miss Lily Florence Lane,
Mr. M. Mareuge,
Mr. André Leducq + one English citizen.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.