Zone
Ardèche

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A-6-LM Hercules in Burzet: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 2000 at 0903 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
N116TG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Marseille - Aubenas - Marseille
MSN:
3086
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
Tanker 82
Location:
Burzet
Ardèche
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
In the early morning, the four engine aircraft departed Marseille-Marignane on a positioning flight to Aubenas-Vals-Lanas Airport, Ardeche, where the crew was briefed about a forest fire in the region of Burzet, some 15 km northwest of Aubenas. The aircraft departed Aubenas with two Canadair CL-415 and was dispatched to the area on fire under callsign 'Tanker 82'. A first drop was completed successfully and while completing a second low pass, the aircraft struck trees and crashed on hilly terrain. Two crew members were seriously injured while two others were killed.
Crew:
Ted Hobard, pilot,
Paul Trinque, copilot, †
Jo WILLIAMS, navigator, †
Ted MEYER, mechanic.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600 near La Grand-Combe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1989 at 1721 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F27 Friendship
Operator:
Registration:
C-GSFS
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Aubenas - Aubenas
MSN:
10473
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
Pélican 27
Location:
La Grand-Combe
Gard
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
8053
Aircraft flight cycles:
8886
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft, departed Aubenas-Vals-Lanas Airport on a firefighting mission on behalf of the French Sécurité Civile. While approaching the zone under fire at low height, the aircraft struck the ground and exploded. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of loss of control in a presentation turn at a very low height. This loss of control was the result of an overly brutal maneuver by the crew because the airplane's position at the start of the presentation was wrong.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Excessive workload for the captain,
- Different languages used between both flight crew members,
- Operational practices at the Sécutivé Civile that left too much improvisation over the drop zone,
_ Lack of visibility on short final.
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