Zone
Crash of a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation off Dakar: 63 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 29, 1960 at 0647 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHBC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Paris – Dakar – Monrovia – Abidjan
MSN:
4622
YOM:
1955
Flight number:
AF343
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
63
Aircraft flight hours:
16417
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Paris-Orly to Abidjan with intermediate stops at Dakar and Monrovia. While approaching Dakar just before sunset, the crew started an approach to runway 01 after declining an ILS approach to runway 30. The approach was abandoned due to low visibility caused by poor weather conditions and the captain decided to follow a holding pattern, waiting for an improvement of the weather conditions. Shortly after 0641LT, the crew started a second attempt to land on runway 01 but after reporting downwind at 0647LT, the airplane disappeared in a rain squall and crashed into the sea some 2,400 meters off the Mamelles lighthouse. The airplane sank by a depth of 40 meters and few debris and dead bodies were found about two hours later. All 63 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lucien Boirre, pilot,
Jean Roze, copilot,
Eugène Schuller, radio operator,
Jean-Camille Baty, mechanic,
Louis Meleder, mechanic,
Geneviève Sabourin, stewardess,
François Quiret, steward,
Albert-Émile Guepratte, steward.
Crew:
Lucien Boirre, pilot,
Jean Roze, copilot,
Eugène Schuller, radio operator,
Jean-Camille Baty, mechanic,
Louis Meleder, mechanic,
Geneviève Sabourin, stewardess,
François Quiret, steward,
Albert-Émile Guepratte, steward.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences and to the fact that the aircraft was not equipped with flight recording systems, investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Final Report:
Crash of a SNCASO SO.30P Bretagne in Tangier: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 13, 1953
Operator:
Registration:
F-DABD
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tangier – Casablanca
MSN:
34
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Tangier-Boukhalef Airport, while in initial climb, the crew encountered technical problems with the engine. The captain decided to land asap. The airplane crash landed past the runway end, between the airport and the ocean. A passenger was killed in the accident.
Probable cause:
Engine trouble after takeoff.
Crash of a Douglas C-54A-5-DC Skymaster in Bordeaux: 9 killed
Date & Time:
Feb 7, 1953 at 1028 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-BFGR
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Abidjan – Conakry – Dakar – Casablanca – Bordeaux – Paris
MSN:
10290
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total hours on type:
1877.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
40
Aircraft flight hours:
11250
Circumstances:
The final approach to Bordeaux-Mérignac was performed in foggy conditions. Due to low visibility, the flying crew did not realize that his altitude was insufficient when the four engine aircraft hit the top of pine trees, stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in Eysines, north of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and nine occupants were killed, six crew members and three passengers.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the causes of the accident, listed in the chronological order of their occurrence, can be analyzed as follow:
- unfortunate initiative by the tower controller and a misjudgment by the pilot-in-command leading to an attempt to land in insufficient visibility,
- use of an attention-grabbing procedure by an excess of means for guiding in plan to the detriment of altitude safety,
- a probable wrong altimeter setting,
- wrong interpretation of the altitude vertical to the outer marker.
The fatigue of the flying crew resulting from an excessive period of duty and the discomfort caused by the presence in the cockpit of two additional crew members under training may have contributed to the occurrence.
- unfortunate initiative by the tower controller and a misjudgment by the pilot-in-command leading to an attempt to land in insufficient visibility,
- use of an attention-grabbing procedure by an excess of means for guiding in plan to the detriment of altitude safety,
- a probable wrong altimeter setting,
- wrong interpretation of the altitude vertical to the outer marker.
The fatigue of the flying crew resulting from an excessive period of duty and the discomfort caused by the presence in the cockpit of two additional crew members under training may have contributed to the occurrence.
Final Report:
Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK near Col de l'Ouillat: 6 killed
Date & Time:
Dec 9, 1950
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAXY
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Perpignan – Casablanca
MSN:
16100/32848
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near the Ouillat Pass, on the French territory, about five km north of the Spanish village of Requesens. Three passengers were injured while six other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to poor weather conditions and the crew was flying at an insufficient altitude to pass over the Pyrenees Mountain Range.
Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DL in Casablanca: 22 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 9, 1950 at 0130 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-BFGL
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Bordeaux – Casablanca – Dakar
MSN:
13824
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
Ten minutes after takeoff from Casablanca-Cazes Airport, while climbing by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed 7 km from the airport. Seven passengers were rescued while 22 others occupants were killed.
Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.95 in Villa Cisneros
Date & Time:
Nov 15, 1949
Operator:
Registration:
I-LATI
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rome – Marseille – Barcelona – Casablanca – Villa Cisneros – Dakar – Natal – Recife – Caravelas – Vitoria – Rio de Janeiro – Porto Alegre – Montevideo – Buenos Aires – Santiago de Chile
MSN:
41017
YOM:
1948
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Mislanding in Villa Cisneros in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. The accident occurred in November 1949 (exact date remains unknown).
Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII in Lyon: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Dec 1, 1948 at 1430 LT
Registration:
F-BCJS
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lyon – Casablanca
MSN:
1360
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing in foggy conditions, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located 1,200 meters past the runway end. Three passengers (members of the same family) were killed.
Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII in Casablanca
Date & Time:
Jul 30, 1948
Registration:
F-BCJV
MSN:
1371
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate unknown.
