Morbihan

On the morning of the day of the accident, the pilot, accompanied by a passenger, flew under IFR flight mode from La Môle (83) to Quiberon (56). The flight took 3 hours and 40 minutes and the return was scheduled in the afternoon. After landing in Quiberon, the pilot learned that there was no possibility to refuel with AVGAS, information that was not specified by NOTAM. The pilot then decided to refuel at Vannes-Meucon Airport before leaving to St Tropez-La Môle. He said he was upset by this situation and by the bad weather conditions in the area. During the pre-flight visit to Quiberon, the pilot added oil. He indicates that he also carried out a pre-flight inspection before takeoff from Vannes. During the takeoff roll from runway 22 at Vannes-Meucon Airport, the rotation took place in the first third of the runway. Just after liftoff, he saw the engine cowling open. He immediately thaught he forgot to tighten the dipstick and decided to abort the takeoff and landed on the remaining runway. The runway being long, he believed he can stop before the runway end. He put the power levers in the "full, reduced and choke" position and tried to land the plane quickly. As the aircraft already reached a high speed, it landed 200 metres short of runway end and deviated longitudinally and crossed the runway end safety area, known as RESA. It came to a stop a 100 metres further on an embankment. The left wing was partially torn off and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. There was no fire. Both occupants escaped uninjured.

Following an uneventful flight from Lyon-Satolas Airport, the crew was approaching Lorient-Lann-Bihoué Airport when he contacted ATC and requested a special clearance to cancel his IFR flight plan for a visual circuit over the Bay of Quiberon to show the 'Norway' ship (ex France) to the passengers. While cruising under VFR mode in excellent weather conditions at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft collided with a private Cessna 177 Cardinal registered F-GAJE and owned by the Aéro Club de Vannes. Following the collision, both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the Bay of Quiberon about 1,500 metres from the ship and 10 km off Quiberon. All 14 people on board the Beech 1900D as well as the pilot of the Cessna 177 were killed.

On approach to Lorient-Lann-Bihoué NAS, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with fog. On final, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed few hundred yards short of runway 26 threshold. Three crew members were seriously wounded while six others were killed.
Those killed were:
Ens Valbur, pilot,
O/T Lars, copilot,
1st Mst Busson, navigator,
1st Mst Jaffré, electrician,
1st Mst Le Goff, mechanic,
2nd Mst Le Bihan, mechanic.

The airplane was engaged in a tactical exercice over the Atlantic Ocean and was carrying 12 members of the Escadrille 25F. Shortly after a night takeoff from Lorient-Lann-Bihoué Naval Air Station, while in initial climb in poor weather conditions, the airplane entered a left turn then plunged into the earth and crashed onto a small hill located in Kergantic, about 3 km southwest of the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Henri Debray,
S/S Yvon Sivy,
1st Mst Michel Bioux,
1st Mst Louis Jacquemard,
1st Mst Gérard Donaghy,
1st Mst Achille Le Riblair,
1st Mst René Milewski,
1st Mst Pierre Le Guerroué,
1st Mst Roger Perrucchieti,
Mst Jacques Bigot,
Mst Jean-Pierre Frangé,
Mst Jean-Marie Frison.

The airplane departed RAF Ingham at 2213LT on June 13 on a mine duties in French waters. It crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off the Isle of Groix. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O William Ernest Sawdy, pilot,
Sgt Edward Burton, navigator,
F/O Stuart Quentin Robinson, bomb aimer,
Sgt Claude Stephen Bell, wireless operator,
Sgt John Charles William Stevens, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Kimbolton on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Passing east of Lorient, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Crach, south of Auray. Six crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
Cpt John Osborn Hall, pilot,
1st Lt Willard Stanley Thomas, pilot,
S/Sgt Michael H. Belock, flight engineer, †
2nd Lt William Joseph Koves, navigator,
T/Sgt Frank A. Adrick, radio operator, †
2nd Lt James Malcolm Griffith, bombardier,
S/Sgt Clarence E. Gallamore Jr., air gunner, †
S/Sgt George F. Hague, air gunner, †
Sgt Robert G. Kuehl, air gunner, †
Sgt Robert M. Vanderstraeten, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Polebrook at 1350LT on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Passing west of Vannes, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Ploeren. Four crew members were killed and six others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Colonel J. Russell Jr., pilot,
F/O Leo Grikstas, copilot,
S/Sgt Charles T. Eaton, flight engineer,
T/Sgt James F. Welk, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Roy Paul Stealey, navigator,
1st Lt Charles Boyd Woehrle, bombardier,
S/Sgt Nahannie Bader, air gunner, †
T/Sgt Wayne I. Baldwin, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Maurice McLaughlin, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Frederick Dunkerton Williams Jr., air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Chelveston at 0930LT on an operation to Lorient. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Brech, east of Lorient. Six crew members were killed, two evaded and two became PoW.
Crew:
2nd Lt Harry Warren Indiere, pilot,
1st Lt Joseph Baxter Boyle, copilot,
T/Sgt John W. McFarland, flight engineer, †
2nd Lt Roy E. Richards, navigator, †
S/Sgt Robert G. Neil, radio operator,
2nd Lt James S. Wilschke, bombardier,
S/Sgt Henry A. Mitchell Jr., air gunner, †
S/Sgt Dennis T. Cullinan Jr., air gunner, †
Sgt John Norris, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Walter E. Schenk, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Chelveston on an operation to Lorient. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Erdeven, 20 km southeast of Lorient. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Joseph H. Roney Jr., pilot, †
2nd Lt Jack C. Boltz, copilot, †
T/Sgt Ernest Kennedy Harker, flight engineer,
T/Sgt James David Donaldson, radio operator,
2nd Lt Paul Felder Austin, navigator,
S/Sgt Mark Loy Oberhansly, bombardier,
S/Sgt Gilbert John Gromschmidt, air gunner,
S/Sgt Orville L. Glenn, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Patrick J. Heaney, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Gilbert Simkiss, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Chelveston on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Belle-ìle-en-Mer. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Einar H. Suomi, pilot,
1st Lt Erwin R. Schott, copilot,
T/Sgt Fairen R. Sion, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Rene C. Clark, navigator,
T/Sgt Charles B. Hirsch, radio operator,
2nd Lt Clarence W. Gillespie, bombardier,
S/Sgt Warden Cain, air gunner,
Sgt Willis I. Gibson, air gunner,
Sgt Robert Gibson Markli, air gunner,
S/Sgt Richard L. Spelts, air gunner.