Zone

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL on Mt Moucherolle: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1947 at 1530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAXO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Nice – Lyon – Paris
MSN:
20488
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport at 1330LT bound for Paris-Le Bourget with an intermediate stop in Lyon-Bron. The ETA in Bron was 1600LT. About half an hour prior to his scheduled arrival in Lyon, the crew informed ATC in Montélimar-Ancône that he was flying east of Valence, approaching Grenoble, and that he was encountering poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. Few minutes later, the aircraft hit the east slope of Mt Moucherolle and crashed at an altitude of 2,289 meters. The wreckage was found a day later and all 23 occupants were killed. Apparently due to weather conditions, the aircraft was flying too low and off track at the time of the accident, maybe following a navigational error on part of the crew.
Crew:
Eugène Poulon, pilot,
Yves Lucchesi, copilot,
Roger Bourgne, radio navigator,
Marcel Wauthier, mechanic,
Marcel Bouthien, steward.