Yaoundé – Douala

The four engine aircraft left Yaoundé at 1658LT four a short flight to Douala, ETA 1730LT. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Koupé (2,064 meters high) located about 80 km north of Douala. As the airplane failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 12 occupants was found. On 19 February 1956, walkers found the wreckage in a dense wooded area on Mt Koupé.

Flight / Schedule

Yaoundé – Douala

Registration

F-BGOI

MSN

14010

Year of Manufacture

1953

Date

April 18, 1955 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Mt Koupé Southwest

Region

Africa • Cameroon

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On April 18, 1955 at 12:00 AM, Yaoundé – Douala experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.114 Heron, operated by Union Aéromaritime de Transport - UAT, with the event recorded near Mt Koupé Southwest.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

12 people were known to be on board, 12 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 9, passenger fatalities: 9, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The four engine aircraft left Yaoundé at 1658LT four a short flight to Douala, ETA 1730LT. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Koupé (2,064 meters high) located about 80 km north of Douala. As the airplane failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 12 occupants was found. On 19 February 1956, walkers found the wreckage in a dense wooded area on Mt Koupé.

Aircraft reference details include registration F-BGOI, MSN 14010, year of manufacture 1953.

Fatalities

Total

12

Crew

3

Passengers

9

Other

0

Crash Summary

The four engine aircraft left Yaoundé at 1658LT four a short flight to Douala, ETA 1730LT. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Koupé (2,064 meters high) located about 80 km north of Douala. As the airplane failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 12 occupants was found. On 19 February 1956, walkers found the wreckage in a dense wooded area on Mt Koupé.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

3

Passengers On Board

9

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 12

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Yaoundé – Douala

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

Africa • Cameroon

Aircraft Details

Registration

F-BGOI

MSN

14010

Year of Manufacture

1953

Similar Plane Crashes

July 1, 1947 at 12:00 AM13 Fatalities

Air France

AAC.1 Toucan

While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain near Eséka. All thirteen occupants were killed. Crew: Louis Coupvent, pilot, Robert Ferrisse, radio navigator, Frank Malaret, mechanic.

March 11, 1949 at 12:00 AM5 Fatalities

Institut Géographique National

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with turbulences. The aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field. All five crew members were killed. It was reported that the pilot may have lost the control of the aircraft when the cargo shifted while flying in severe turbulences.

February 3, 1951 at 02:30 PM29 Fatalities

Air France

Douglas DC-4

The four engine aircraft christened 'Ciel de Savoie' left Douala Airport at 1408LT bound for Niamey. Four minutes after takeoff, the crew modified his route and continued to the northwest at an altitude of 8,500 feet. About twenty minutes later, while flying in good weather conditions but facing the sun, the pilot in command realized he was facing a mountain and immediately made a sharp turn to the left when the left wing hit trees. Out of control, the aircraft crashed on the Mt Cameroon and disintegrated on impact. All 29 occupants were killed. Crew: Jean Chansel, pilot, Jean Gavignet, copilot, Roger Roure, radio navigator, Paul Frederic, mechanic, Lina Cotton, stewardess, Georges Vilard, steward.

February 19, 1952 at 02:30 PM8 Fatalities

Société de Transports Aériens Alpes Provence - STAAP

Consolidated LB-30 Liberator

The crew was engaged in a local test flight after the engine number four was changed. The airplane left N'Gaoundéré Airport at 1250LT. The captain made profit of this flight to improve the skills of the copilot who should be promoted as captain. While cruising in good weather conditions, the aircraft banked left, dove into the ground and crashed about 37 km southwest of N'Gaoundéré. As the airplane failed to come back to its base, SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was found in an isolated area a day later. All eight occupants have been killed.

November 6, 1952 at 12:00 AM5 Fatalities

Union Aéromaritime de Transport - UAT

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

The four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into Lake Chad. A pilot was rescued while five other occupants were killed. The crew was performing a cargo flight from Fort Lamy to Beirut.

February 7, 1953 at 10:28 AM3 Fatalities

Union Aéromaritime de Transport - UAT

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

The final approach to Bordeaux-Mérignac was performed in foggy conditions. Due to low visibility, the flying crew did not realize that his altitude was insufficient when the four engine aircraft hit the top of pine trees, stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in Eysines, north of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and nine occupants were killed, six crew members and three passengers.