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Haute-Corse

Crash of a Beechcraft 3NMT Expeditor in Bastia

Date & Time: Sep 14, 2021 at 1025 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
G-BKGL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
A-764
YOM:
1952
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Bastia-Poretta Airport Runway 16, while in initial climb, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation and apparently attempted an emergency landing when the twin engine aircraft crashed in a plantation located 1,5 km south of the airport. The airplane slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All three occupants were rescued, one was uninjured while both others were seriously injured due to burns. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crash of a Canadair CL-415 in Calvi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 2005 at 1005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-ZBEO
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Ajaccio - Ajaccio
MSN:
2011
YOM:
1995
Flight number:
Pélican 36
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After take-off from Ajaccio Airport and a first scooping, the fleet composed of three planes with respective callsigns Pelican 44, Pelican 36 and Pelican 37 intervened on a fire at Piétramaggiore, near Calvi, Corsica, France. A first sector of the fire zone was treated by six passes. During the two following passages, the fleet dropped on another sector of the fire. Pelican 36 began its last scooping in the Gulf of Revellata at heading 250°, three minutes and fourteen seconds before the accident. At the end, it gained height and continued the circuit to arrive on the drop axis. The "doubling" action consists of releasing the water load at the precise location of the previous aircraft's release. During the last turn, it reached an altitude of 2,160 feet. Pelican 36 was observed on a trajectory estimated to be consistent by the crew of the following aircraft (Pelican 37) a few seconds before it passed over the drop site. However, video evidence shows that the track of Pelican 36 is further west than that of Pelican 44, which preceded it, and over higher terrain. One and a half seconds before the flight recorder stopped, the aircraft was in a right turn at an altitude of 1,360 feet. The angle of roll to the right and increasing was then 17°. While the elevators were nearly stable, the altitude stored by the flight recorder increased to 1,500 feet in one and a half seconds. After that the tail section of the aircraft separated from the fuselage. The aircraft then impacted the side of a mountain and broke up.
Crew:
Ludovic Piasentin, pilot,
Jean-Louis de Bénédict, copilot.
Probable cause:
Environmental area:
The load case studied during the investigations did not explain the observed fuselage failure. However, the characteristics of the upward aerological disturbance caused by the fire are likely to have generated airframe stresses of an order of magnitude close to that of the loads capable of causing the fuselage to fail. Given the uncertainties encountered during the evaluation of the parameters of the rising air column that affected the accuracy of the research results concerning the effects of the stresses on the airframe, the aerological phenomenon encountered represents a possible cause of the event.
Technical Area:
The research undertaken to find in-flight loads capable, in the context of the event, of breaking the intact fuselage without damaging the empennage was unsuccessful. Detailed observation of the airframe did not reveal any damage prior to the occurrence. However, the results of these investigations do not rule out the existence of such damage, so the hypothesis of prior damage to the airframe cannot be totally rejected.

Crash of a Transall C-160 in Calvi

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1995 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F222
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Calvi - Solenzara
MSN:
F225
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Calvi-Sainte Catherine Airport, en route to Solenzara Airbase, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a very steep mountain slope located near Occhiatana, about 12 km from Calvi. the wreckage was found at an altitude of 1,300 metres near the Bocca di Battaglia Plateau. All six crew members were evacuated, among them two were injured.

Crash of a Grumman S-2F-1 Tracker in Calenzana: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1990
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-ZBAT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Calvi - Calvi
MSN:
29
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
Pélican 03
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Calvi-Sainte Catherine Airport on a fire fighting mission in the Balagne region. While flying at low height and fighting a fire, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Calenzana. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was caught by strong downdraft.

Crash of a Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard at the Asinao Pass: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1987
Operator:
Registration:
272/F-RHGE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Solenzara - Solenzara
MSN:
328
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Solenzara AFB on a training mission. The single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances by the Asinao Pass, about 16 km southwest of the Solenzara Airbase. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Canadair CL-215-1 in Vignale: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-ZBBM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
1019
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
Pélican 19
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission over a mountainous area located in Vignale, about 18 km south of Bastia. As the crew was attempting a low pass over the fire, the aircraft struck power cables and crashed. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Daniel Mougin, pilot,
Jacques Fossier, copilot.

Crash of a Canadair CL-215-1A10 in Albertacce: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-ZBAX
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Marseille - Marseille
MSN:
1022
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
Pélican 22
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a fire fighting mission under call sign Pélican 22, carrying two pilots and a firefighter. While fighting a fire on the slope of a wooded mountain, the airplane struck the ground and crashed in flames. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Roger Carcasses, pilot,
Roger Faugeron, pilot.
Passenger:
F. Mosali, firefighter.

Crash of a Vickers 635 Viking 1B in Calvi

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BJEQ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calvi – Nice
MSN:
298
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, control was lost. The airplane veered off runway and came to rest. All 10 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
A landing gear collapsed during takeoff.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C-26-FA Flying Boxcar in Ghisonaccia

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1955
Operator:
Registration:
51-2648
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10637
YOM:
1951
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a mismanagement of fuel on part of the crew, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing at Ghisonaccia Airport. The aircraft crashed on landing and was destroyed while all four crew members were unhurt.