L'Aéropostale

Latécoère 28

Following a stop in Barcelona, the crew continued to Perpignan and reported by radio at 1430LT he was climbing over clouds to have a better visibility. This transmission was the last one. Shortly later, while cruising in foggy conditions over a mountainous area, the aircraft collided with a small unoccupied house and crashed near Viladrau, southwest of Gerona. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. Crew: Jacques Emler, pilot, René Riguelle, pilot, Alfred Guychard, radio navigator.

CAMS 53

A first takeoff attempt from Algiers' harbor was aborted. During the second attempt, the float plane hit waves, nosed down, overturned and came to rest upside down. The pilot and the mechanic were rescued while the radio operator drowned. His dead body was eventually found on January 19, in the Algiers' harbor. Crew: Roger Feru, pilot, Georges Deloustal, mechanic, Albert Laget, radio navigator. †

Latécoère 25

The airplane departed Marseille-Marignane Airport at 0450LT bound for Barcelona. About half an hour later, the pilot encountered foggy conditions with limited visibility. He reduced his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit an obstacle and crashed, bursting into flames. The passenger was seriously injured and the pilot Francis Simon was killed.

Latécoère 28

Shortly after takeoff from Port Étienne (Nouadhibou), the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. The pilot Albert Pinot, sole on board, was killed.

Latécoère 28

En route from Casablanca to Alicante, while cruising along the coast, the engine failed. The pilot attempted to ditch the airplane that crash landed some 50 metres off Carchuna. All eight occupants evacuated safely and swam to the beach. The left wing and the tail were torn off at impact.

Latécoère 28

While flying along the Brazilian coast, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, heavy rain falls and turbulences. Control was lost and the airplane crashed into the ocean off Guarapari. Few debris and all three dead bodies were found on a beach off Sarita near Setiba four days later, on March 2. Crew: Pierre Barbier, pilot, Victor Hamm, pilot, Georges Gourbeyre, radio navigator.

CAMS 56

The aircraft departed Algiers at 0645LT bound for Marseille. En route, while cruising 75 km off the Balearic Islands, the crew encountered engine problems and was forced to ditch the aircraft. Both uninjured aviators were rescued at 1330LT by the crew of the ship named 'Timgad'. The aircraft sank and was lost. Crew: Jean Mermoz, pilot, Lucien Rémier, radio navigator.

CAMS 56

En route from Marseille to Algiers, the engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft some 165 kilometers off Algiers at 0930LT. The crew was able to converse until 1155LT when the radio contact was lost. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended on December 17 as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. An empty liferaft was found few days later some 30 kilometers west of Algiers. On January 18, 1932, a herdsman found the dead body of the pilot on a beach located near Philippeville. Crew: Jean Champsaur, pilot, René Bourguignon, radionavigator.

Latécoère 26

En route from Alicante to Casablanca, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances southwest of Rabat. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Latécoère 32

The crew encountered strong headwinds all along the flight from Algiers to Marseille. After overflying Cape of Creus in Catalonia, both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion. The crew ditched the aircraft off Banyuls-sur-Mer, Pyrénées Orientales. The crew of the Spanish cargo named 'Stella' was quickly on the scene but during the towing operations, the float plane sank and the radio navigator Bossard drowned. The pilot Edmond Larbonne and the mechanic were rescued.

Latécoère 25

An unknown technical failure forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing in Saint-Gilles, south of Nimes. While both occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The pilot was Louis Roidot.

Latécoère 26

En route from Dakar to Casablanca, the crew lost his orientation and attempted to make an emergency landing. No distress call was received at the company base in Casablanca. SAR operations were initiated and the crew of another aircraft spotted the wreckage three days later in an uninhabited area located south of Tarfaya, near Cape Juby. All three occupants were rescued . Crew: Albert Pinot, pilot, Mr. Neri, mechanic. Passenger: Mr. Ibrapa.

Latécoère 26

The pilot was performing a mail flight from South America to France. En route, he encountered unknown technical problems and attempted an emergency landing. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was unhurt.

Latécoère 28

While cruising over the region of Larache (El Araïch), the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with storms. He lost control of the airplane that crashed. All four occupants were killed. Crew: Germain Villetard de Laguérie, pilot. Passengers: Mr. Augusto Belesch, Mrs. Jeuille Dif, Mr. or Mrs. Monica.

CAMS 53

One hour after his departure from Marseille, the crew experienced an engine failure and was forced to ditch the aircraft. All three occupants were rescued by the crew of the Spanish ship named 'Helius' while the aircraft, trying to be towed, sank and was lost. Crew: Mr. de Visa, pilot, Maurice Thomasset, radio navigator, Mr. Mailland, mechanic.

Latécoère 26

Upon landing in Porto Alegre, the single engine airplane came to rest upside down, partially submerged in the Rio Guaíba. The pilot Raoul MacLeod was injured while the navigator Jean Macaigne was unhurt.

Latécoère 26

While flying over the region of Tan-Tan, the Pilot Laurent Guerrero encountered technical problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was unhurt and later rescued and repatriated by another pilot of the operator, Alexandre Baile.

Latécoère 28

On the 13 of May 1930, the crew completed a non stop flight from Saint Louis (Senegal) to Natal in 21 hours and 10 minutes, establishing a new record. Between the 8 of June and the 8 of July, the crew tried 52 times to fly back to Senegal, without success. Each time, a technical failure forced the crew to return. On the 8 of July, the aircraft completed the flight from Natal to Saint Louis. While approaching the African coast, the engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft some 900 metres offshore. All three crew members were rescued by the crew of ship named 'Phocée' while the aircraft named 'Comte De La Vaux' sank. Crew: Jean Mermoz, pilot, Jean Dabry, mechanic, Léopold Gimié, radio navigator.

Latécoère 28

Few minutes after takeoff from Buenos Aires, while cruising at night, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. The pilot decided to reduce his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the water surface when the airplane hit a wave, flipped over and crashed in the Rio de la Plata. A passenger was seriously injured while four other occupants were killed. Crew: Élisée Negrin, pilot, René L. Pruneta, radio operator. Passengers: Julien Pranville, Raúl A. Sequeira Campos.

CAMS 53

The aircraft departed Marseille at 0813LT on a mail flight to Algiers. At 1040LT, the crew reported his position along the Balearic coast. Around noon, while approaching the Algerian coast, the pilot sent a brief message and announced he was forced to attempt an emergency landing off Cape of Pointe Pescade, some 30 km northwest of Algiers, due to an engine failure. All three crew members were uninjured and rescued around 1600LT by the crew of ship named 'Colonel Casse'. The aircraft sank and was lost. Crew: Mr. De Visa, pilot, Maurice Thomasset, radio navigator, Albin Pinot, mechanic.

Latécoère 32

En route, the pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft for unknown reasons. All three crew members survived and were later rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

CAMS 56

While cruising off the French coast on a mail flight from Marseille to Algiers, the crew encountered an engine failure. The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing off the Cape Bear but the sea was very rough. The aircraft crashed on landing and rescuers were grounded due to poor weather conditions. All operations were eventually suspended and no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found. Crew: Robert Raynal, pilot, Robert Languille, radio navigator, Mr. Traverse, mechanic.

Latécoère 25

On the leg from Casablanca to Alicante, while cruising by night between Spain and Morocco, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in the sea, maybe between Ceuta and Melilla. SAR were organized but all operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. More than a month later, in March 1930, a mail package was found on a beach in Mostaganem. Crew: Alphonse Bruyère, pilot, Léopold Aubry, radio navigator.

Latécoère 25

Upon landing in Kenitra, the aircraft went out of control and crashed. Both crew members were injured.

CAMS 53

En route from Marseille to Algiers and while approaching the Balearic Islands, the crew encountered an engine failure. The pilot Max Ringel ditched the aircraft in the Mediterranean Sea. All three crew members were rescued. The aircraft sank was lost. Brand new, it was delivered 30 November 1929.

Levasseur PL.8

The pilot Henri Delaunay was completing a mail flight from Dakar to Istres-Le Tubé Airport. Upon landing, the aircraft hit a pothole, went out of control and came to rest with serious damages. The the pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.233

While overflying Mawlamyine, the crew lost his orientation while flying in stormy weather. Because he was flying over mountainous terrain, the crew was unable to attempt an emergency landing and decided to bail out. The aircraft crashed and was destroyed. A pilot was injured and the second one was unhurt.

Nieuport-Delage NiD-641

The aircraft departed Paris-Le Bourget on a mail flight to Saigon, carrying three crew members. Intermediate stops were scheduled in Marseille, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Benghazi, Cairo, Basra, Agra, Allahabad, Calcutta, Akyab and Yangon. En route from Tripoli to Benghazi, the aircraft crashed in the Mediterranean Sea in unknown circumstances. As the airplane failed to arrive in Benghazi, SAR operations were initiated and on December 23, the crew of an Italian ship found the wreckage and the dead bodied on a beach located near Sirte. Crew: Edmond Lasalle, pilot, Mr. Reybard, radio navigator, Mr. Faltot, engineer.

Latécoère 26

Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed in Churriana, near the airfield, bursting into flames. All three occupants killed. They were performing a mail flight from France to Morocco with intermediate stops in Spain. Crew: Georges Schenk, pilot, Pierre Le Bouteiller, radio navigator, Mr. Sahenoze, engineer.

Latécoère 32

En route from Marseille to Algiers, while cruising north of the Balearic Islands, an engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. All four crew members were quickly rescued while the aircraft sank while being towed back to Marseille. Crew: Edmond Larbonne, pilot, Mr. Adan, navigator, Maurice Thomasset, radio, Mr. Traverse, engineer.

CAMS 53

An engine failed en route, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft in the Mediterranean Sea some 130 km north of Algiers. While all three crew members were quickly rescued by the crew of the ship named 'Timgad', the aircraft that was damaged beyond repair was towed two days later by the crew of the ship named 'Colonel-Casse'. Crew: Alexandre Pichodou, pilot, Mr. Hautot, radio, Mr. Traverse, engineer.

Latécoère 25

The airplane departed Tangier at 1430LT on a flight to Casablanca, carrying three passengers and two crew members. The aircraft was spotted over Asilah around 1500LT. About half an hour later, while cruising along the coast, the airplane crashed in the sea about 20 km south of Larache. Few debris such a wheel and elements from the landing gear were found few days later. No trace of the five occupants was ever found.

Latécoère 25

Crashed into the sea off Tortosa for unknown reason. The aircraft departed Alicante at 1150LT bound for Barcelona. While the pilot Marcel Goret was uninjured, the aircraft sank and was lost.

Breguet 14

On final approach to Toulouse-Montaudron Airport, the single engine stalled and crashed near the runway threshold. All three occupants, the pilot Marcel Murier and two passenger, were killed.

Latécoère 26

The engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot Clément Rolland to attempt an emergency landing. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was unhurt.

Breguet 14

Shortly after takeoff, in initial climb, the engine lost power. The aircraft lost height, hit a telegraph pole and crashed. The mechanic was seriously injured and the pilot Jean Garrabos was killed.

CAMS 53

During the takeoff roll from the Algiers harbor, at high speed, the seaplane hit a wreck partially submerged. The hull torn off and the aircraft came to rest in water, partially destroyed. The crew of the French ship named 'Colonel-Casse' was able to rescue the captain who was slightly injured while all five other occupants were killed. Crew: Max Ringel, pilot, Mr. Canal, radio, André Dupont, mechanic. Passenger: Clovis Armani, Champion of France of fencing (he was on his way to Budapest to take part to a fencing competition), Mrs. Armani, Mrs. Canal.

Latécoère 26

The crew was on his way to France with mail (letters and packets) from South America. The aircraft departed Agadir at 1600LT bound for Casablanca, and overflew Mazagan (El Jadida) at 1915LT. Few minutes later, while cruising along the coast, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Atlantic Ocean. SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found, and all operations were suspended few days later. Three weeks later, the dead bodies of both crew were found on a beach near Azemmour. Crew: Emile Lécrivain, pilot, Pierre Ducaud, radio navigator.

Breguet 14

Shortly after takeoff from Toulouse-Montaudran Airport, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed. A passenger was unhurt while both other occupants were seriously injured.

Latécoère 25

The pilot encountered technical problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. After touchdown, the airplane caught fire and was destroyed. The pilot was unhurt.

Latécoère 32

While approaching Palma, the seaplane was too low and hit a lightning mast. It stalled and crashed onto several houses in the city. While the radio navigator was killed, both other crew members were injured. Crew: Étienne Simon, pilot, Fernand Royère, mechanic, Fernand Girard, radio navigator.

Latécoère 25

The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing near Málaga following technical problems. Upon landing, the aircraft overturned and came to rest. While all three occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed.

Latécoère 32

En route, while cruising south of Majorca Island, an engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. Wind was very strong (force 9) and the sea was rough. After 12 hours, the four occupants were eventually rescued by the crew of the Spanish boat named 'El Biar' while the aircraft sank and was lost. Crew: Henri Vallin, pilot, Mr. Le Roux, radio, Juan Munar, radio, André Dupont, mechanic.

Latécoère 25

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Atlantic Ocean off the Moroccan coast. Occupant fate unknown.

Latécoère 32

While cruising over the Mediterranean Sea, one of the engine failed. The crew ditched the aircraft some 70 km north of Majorca Island. Unfortunately, the sea was rough due to a force 7 wind. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and all three crew members found refuge in a dinghy and eventually reached the coast 11 hours later. Crew: Roger Féru, pilot, Pierre Viré, radio, Mr. Loertscher, mechanic.

Breguet 14

While cruising northeast of Gerona, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog and twilight. Too low, the aircraft impacted a mountain slope and crashed near the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, south of Llancà. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire. All three occupants were killed. Crew: Louis Marsac, pilot. Passengers: Comte de Leusse, Mr. Grettet.

Latécoère 32

Shortly after takeoff from the Etang de Berre, off Marseille, the seaplane stalled and crashed in the sea few dozen metres offshore. All three occupants were injured while the aircraft sank. Crew: Henri Vallin, pilot, Mr. Fichou, radio, Gaston Génin, mechanic.

Latécoère 25

En route from Perpignan to Marseille, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Arles. The pilote escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Breguet 14

The crew was performing a mail flight from France. An emergency landing was made following unknown technical problems. While both occupants were injured, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

CAMS 51

The seaplane named 'La Frégate' crashed while taking off from the Horta Bay for unknown reasons. While both crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was on its way from Brest, France, to New York.