Sécurité civile française

Grumman S-2 Tracker

The aircraft departed Marseille-Marignane and was dispatched in an area west of Aubenas to fight a forest fire with one other Tracker, one De Havilland DHC-8 and two Canadair CL-415. After a first Tracker successfully dropped its retardant, the second Tracker approached the area when it collided with hilly terrain and crashed, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed. Crew: Régis Huillier, pilot, Albert Pouzoulet, pilot.

Canadair CL-415

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.

Grumman S-2 Tracker

The aircraft departed Marseille-Marignane Airport in the afternoon and was dispatched in the area of Taradeau where a forest was on fire. Two helicopters, two others Tracker and five Canadair CL-415 were also dispatched to the same zone. The pilot was approaching the area on fire when he momentarily lost visual contact with the ground. The aircraft impacted trees and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Canadair CL-415

The crew departed Marseille-Marignane Airport with three other similar aircraft to conduct a training mission in the bay of La Ciotat. Following several scooping manoeuvres, the crew simulated an engine failure and then performed a complete landing when the aircraft suffered severe vibrations. The crew increased engine power in an attempt to take off when the seaplane overturned and came to rest upside down. The copilot was seriously injured while the captain was killed.

Grumman S-2 Tracker

The pilot departed Bastia Airport on a flight to Marseille when he was called for a last fire fighting mission in the afternoon. While flying at low height over hilly terrain, the aircraft struck obstacles and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Beechcraft 90 King Air

The twin engine aircraft was engaged in a survey flight over the region of Ajaccio under call sign 'Bengale 97', carrying one pilot and one fireman. Shortly after takeoff from Ajaccio-Campo dell'Oro Airport runway 20, while in initial climb, the pilot retracted the landing gear when the left engine failed. He initiated a left hand turn to return to runway 20 when the aircraft stalled and crashed on a the beach of Capitello about 500 metres southeast of the runway end, bursting into flames. Both occupants and a girl aged 13 were killed while four other people were seriously injured. Few days later, two of them, German tourists, died from their injuries. Crew: Igor Daïc, pilot Passenger: Lt Faustin Expédith, fireman. On ground victims: Marie-Louise Tagnatti, Peter & Heike Kirsch.

Grumman S-2 Tracker

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.

Grumman S-2 Tracker

The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a fire fighting mission in Saint-Martin-Vésubie, about 40 km north of Nice. In unclear circumstances, the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and the pilot was killed. Pilot: Christian Lallement.

Grumman S-2 Tracker

The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the Luberon, north of La Roque-d’Anthéron, Bouches-du-Rhône. While flying at low height, the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed.

Douglas DC-6

The aircraft was dispatched in a fire fighting mission over the Pyrenees Mountains. After the water was spread over the fire, the crew was trying to gain height when the aircraft struck a rock and crashed on the south slope of the Puig Llobregat (Mt de la Pouge) located northeast of Perthus Pass. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed. Crew: Jean-Pierre Davenet, Jacques Ogier, Jack Le Bel, Roland Denard.