Crash of a SNCASE SE.2010 Armagnac in Paris: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1957 at 2024 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
F-BAVG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tunis – Paris
MSN:
06
YOM:
1952
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After a normal flight from Tunis the aircraft arrived at Paris at night and in weather conditions close to the operational minima and made an unsuccessful attempt to land using ILS monitored by GCA. The pilot-in-command then decided to land with GCA guidance. Lacking sufficient visual references to permit landing, the pilot applied full power at low altitude, in the immediate vicinity of the runway end. The aircraft, on a heading divergent from the landing runway, continued to lose altitude and struck the ground (at 1924 hours GMT) in a slightly nose-down position, banking to starboard. The right wing burned after separation from the fuselage and the rest of the aircraft turned over in a half-roll and broke up into four main parts. A crew member and a passenger were killed while 33 occupants were injured and 35 others were unhurt.
Probable cause:
The immediate cause of the accident was as follows: stalling as a result of delayed application of power with a heavy aircraft in final approach configuration and inadequate control of heading, airspeed and altitude after the visual break-through. The following contributing factors are noteworthy:
- Deterioration in weather conditions in the immediate vicinity of the runway threshold,
- Absence of radio altimeter,
- Faulty application of landing tech niques by both ground and flight personnel.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dominie in Tunis

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1947
Registration:
G-AJSJ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croydon – Tunis – Antananarivo
MSN:
6826
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Tunis while on a delivery flight to Antananarivo. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were injured. The airplane christened 'Tamatave' was on its way from Croydon to Antananarivo to be delivered to Air Madagascar.

Crash of a Caudron C.440 Goéland off Bizerte

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAQT
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tunis – Bizerta
MSN:
10057/1171
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Bizerta Airport from the east, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Mediterranean Sea, few km off shore. Both occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Douglas Dakota III in Tunis: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1943 at 2208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FD815
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tunis - Tunis
MSN:
9132
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
913
Captain / Total hours on type:
120.00
Circumstances:
Three minutes after its night take off from Tunis-El Aouina Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft caught fire and crashed in flames 5 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Crew (267th Squadron):
F/O G. V. Gibson, pilot,
F/O H. G. Spencer, copilot,
Lt S. M. Yardwyn, navigator,
F/Sgt K. Patterson, wireless operator.
Passengers:
W/Cdr F. S. Leslie,
Maj Baxter.
Source: http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17280-Dakota-FD815-Dummy-Parachutists
Probable cause:
The Court finds that a fire occurred in the aircraft, probably at the rear end of the cabin, shortly after take-off. There is no direct evidence as to the origin of the fire. The Court, however, considers that the fire did not originate in a dummy parachutist, but could have originated by the accidental firing of a pintail. The Court does not have any evidence as to the cause of the crash, but considers it possible that the fire inside the fuselage destroyed the elevator controls, or produced so much smoke as to blind the pilot. The highly inflammable nature of the cargo would have made remedial action almost impossible once a dummy parachutist had caught fire, which would happen at once if ignited by a pintail. The accidental firing of a dummy on the other hand gives three minutes warning during which the dummy could have been jettisoned. The Court considers that Major Baxter was properly instructed and capable of performing his duties. He probably commenced arming the pintails as soon as airborne. This coincides with the outbreak of the fire.

Crash of a Douglas Dakota III off Sfax: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FD774
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tunis – Castel Benito
MSN:
6238
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Tunis-El Aouina Airport bound for Castel Benito with a crew of three on board. While cruising along the Tunisian coast at an altitude of 2,000 feet, both engine failed. The captain attempted to ditch the aircraft in rough sea. Few hours later, he was rescued while both other crew members were lost at sea.
Crew:
F/Sgt R. W. Cargill, pilot,
W/O John James Smith, navigator, †
F/Sgt Daniel James Arthur Hannan, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Fuel starvation suspected. Last refuel at RAF Castel Benito where contaminated fuel problems were noted.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 in Castelvetrano: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1943 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-MOLE
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tunis - Castelvetrano
MSN:
32070
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Tunis Airport in the early evening bound for Castelvetrano with wounded soldiers on board. At that time, the aircraft was heavily loaded. On a night approach to Castelvetrano, weather conditions were poor with low clouds and rain falls. The first approach was abandoned by the captain because he was unable to locate the runway due to poor visibility. The approach lights of the aircraft were out of order at that time. During the second approach, the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway but the speed was too high (160 km/h). During the last segment, the captain reduced the engine power to idle when the aircraft plunged and hit the runway surface. The right wing caught fire and the aircraft went out of control and crashed. Four soldiers (three Germans and one French) were killed while all 33 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
Ten Alfredo Bonsignore, pilot,
Sgt Ugo Antonellini, pilot,
Sgt Armando Marchetti, flight engineer,
Sgt Beniamino Valobra, radio navigator,
Sgt Pietro Punzi, air gunner.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder off Tunis: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FK366
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Berka - Berka
MSN:
7430
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Berka III in Benghazi on a mine laying mission in the Gulf of Tunis. En route, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Gulf of Tunis and was lost. Five crew members were killed while the captain was rescued and taken PoW.
Crew (39th Squadron):
P/O John Trueman Willis, pilot,
F/Sgt Samuel Hart Porteous, copilot, †
F/O Eric William Barr, observer, †
F/O Peter Benson Martell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert Frank Ford, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Frank Barratt, air gunner. †

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 into the Mediterranean Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-TELO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tunis – Castelvetrano
MSN:
32047
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route to Castelvetrani, Sicily, the three-engine aircraft was shot down (enemy or allied fire) and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Farman F.222 in Beyrouth

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1941 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marseille – Tunis – Beyrouth
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft crash landed for unknown reason. While all four crew members were injured, the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 in El Aria

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1938 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AMUZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tunis – Algiers
MSN:
6064
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Tunis to Algiers, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in an area located near El Aria, some 45 km from Constantine. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all six occupants were slightly injured.