Compagnie Générale TransSaharienne - CGT France | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was performing a mail flight from Algiers to Cotonou with intermediate stops in Colomb-Béchar, Bidon 5 and Gao. On the last leg from Gao to Cotonou, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a sandstorm. In low visibility, he reduced his altitude when the aircraft impacted the ground and crashed. While both occupants were slightly injured, the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces.

Crash of a Farman F.190 near Bidon 5

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Farman F.190

Operator:

Registration:

F-AJDD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Reggane - Gao

MSN:

7133

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on its way from Reggane, Algeria, to Gao, Mali, with a targui interpret and one pilot (Pierre Obrecht) on board. Few minutes after the stopover in Bidon 5, the pilot encountered control problems and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed some 8 km south of Bidon 5 and was damaged beyond repair. Both occupants were rescued three days later, on December 31.

Probable cause:

According to company officials, the aileron control cables, expanded by heat during the stopover in Bidon 5, came out of the pulleys and were blocked afterwards. In such circumstances, the control of the aircraft was impossible.