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Charente-Maritime

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off La Rochelle: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
AD728
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 2000LT on a mine laying operation off La Rochelle. Approaching the target area in foggy conditions, it crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Albert Charles Evans,
S/L Duncan Charles Frederick Good,
Sgt Horace Cuthbert Page,
P/O John George Embleton Willis.

Crash of a Breguet 521 Bizerte off Royan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1941 at 2051 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SG+FN
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
34
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The floatplane crashed in unknown circumstances off Royan. The radio operator Gefr Otto Heinrichs was killed.

Crash of a Caudron C.445 Goéland in Royan

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1940 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T-1036
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
172
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Royan-Médis Airport, the twin engine airplane suffered a loss of engine power, went out of control and crashed. An engine was destroyed, the tail and one wing were torn off. The pilot and the passenger escaped uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
S/Lt Paul Pagy, pilot.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power on takeoff.

Crash of a Potez 25.A2 in La Rémigeasse

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1940 at 0910 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
1375
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rochefort - Rochefort
MSN:
1375
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Rochefort at 0745LT on a gunnery exercice over the island of Oléron. En route, the engine failed following the rupture of a connecting rod. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane struck vineyard plans and crashed, bursting into flames. Both occupants were injured and the airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
Sgt/C Joseph Menard, pilot,
Cpl Maurice Cholet, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight caused by a rupture of a connecting rod.

Crash of a Potez 25.A2 in Rochefort

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2022
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Châteauroux – Rochefort
MSN:
2022
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Twelve Potez 25 operated by the Centre d’Instruction de Bombardement (CIB) from Chateauroux took off from their base to reach the Oleron firing range. They flew in two formations of six. At Rochefort Airport, several aircraft from the 2nd formation landed at the same time. Upon landing, the Potez 25 registered 2175 and flown by Sgt Chanal banked very slightly right, but that was enough to create a slipstream that hit the Potez 25 registered 2022, that landed on its left wheel. It rolled for few dozen metres before coming to rest upside down. Both crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Sgt Maurice Pelastaing, pilot,
Sgt Roger Borrel, mechanic.

Crash of a Caudron C.635M Simoun in Royan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1939 at 1410 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
414
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Royan - Royan
MSN:
414
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was completing a local solo training flight at Royan-Médis Airport. After a tour of the airfield at an altitude of 200-300 metres, the pilot initiated a turn to join the runway when the airplane stalled and crashed in a field. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
Sgt/C Paul Perrier, pilot.

Crash of a Fokker F12 in La Rochelle

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADZK
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croydon - Madrid
MSN:
5301
YOM:
1931
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was on his way from Croydon to Madrid to deliver the aircraft to the Spanish Air Forces (Aviación Nacional). En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to fog. In such conditions, the captain decided to divert to La Rochelle-Lagord Airport. For unknown reasons, the airplane landed hard, causing the left main gear to collapse. The aircraft went out of control and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest with its left wing and left engine partially torn off. Both crew were uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Mr. Czarkowski +1.