Crash of a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation off Dakar: 63 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 29, 1960 at 0647 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHBC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Paris – Dakar – Monrovia – Abidjan
MSN:
4622
YOM:
1955
Flight number:
AF343
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
63
Aircraft flight hours:
16417
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Paris-Orly to Abidjan with intermediate stops at Dakar and Monrovia. While approaching Dakar just before sunset, the crew started an approach to runway 01 after declining an ILS approach to runway 30. The approach was abandoned due to low visibility caused by poor weather conditions and the captain decided to follow a holding pattern, waiting for an improvement of the weather conditions. Shortly after 0641LT, the crew started a second attempt to land on runway 01 but after reporting downwind at 0647LT, the airplane disappeared in a rain squall and crashed into the sea some 2,400 meters off the Mamelles lighthouse. The airplane sank by a depth of 40 meters and few debris and dead bodies were found about two hours later. All 63 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lucien Boirre, pilot,
Jean Roze, copilot,
Eugène Schuller, radio operator,
Jean-Camille Baty, mechanic,
Louis Meleder, mechanic,
Geneviève Sabourin, stewardess,
François Quiret, steward,
Albert-Émile Guepratte, steward.
Crew:
Lucien Boirre, pilot,
Jean Roze, copilot,
Eugène Schuller, radio operator,
Jean-Camille Baty, mechanic,
Louis Meleder, mechanic,
Geneviève Sabourin, stewardess,
François Quiret, steward,
Albert-Émile Guepratte, steward.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences and to the fact that the aircraft was not equipped with flight recording systems, investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Final Report:
