Saint-Bauzile | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While cruising in low visibility due to foggy conditions, the seaplane hit the slope of a mountain located in the Coirons Mountain Range, near Saint-Bauzile. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Charles Deschamps, pilot,
Marcel Laurière, flight engineer,
Emmanuel Marot, mechanic,
Alfred Sohn, mechanic,
Jean-Marie Legall, radio operator.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Saint-Bauzile: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1948 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

G-AJOU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Croydon – Paris – Cannes

MSN:

4058

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft left Croydon in the early afternoon for Paris with eight passengers and a crew of two. Six passengers disembarked in Paris and the aircraft took off around 1530LT bound for Cannes. About two hours into the flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain, turbulence and strong winds. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Le Coran, near Saint-Bauzile, about 9 km southeast of Privas. A local farmer was quickly on the scene but all four occupants were killed. Rescue teams arrived the next morning.
Crew:
Peter Townsend, pilot,
Arthur Frederick Freeman, radio operator.
Passengers:
Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam,
Kathleen Kennedy-Cavendish, young sister of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.