Saigon – Kerkyra – Naples – Marseille
Flight / Schedule
Saigon – Kerkyra – Naples – Marseille
Aircraft
CAMS 53Registration
F-ALCE
MSN
29
Year of Manufacture
1931
Operator
Air OrientDate
April 23, 1933 at 08:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Saracena Calabria
Region
Europe • Italy
Coordinates
39.7768°, 16.1565°
Crash Cause
Weather
Narrative Report
On April 23, 1933 at 08:00 AM, Saigon – Kerkyra – Naples – Marseille experienced a crash involving CAMS 53, operated by Air Orient, with the event recorded near Saracena Calabria.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.
8 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 62.5%.
Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 5, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is weather. Named 'Provence', the aircraft was spotted over Castrovillari at 0740LT while cruising at a height of 2,500 metres. In a snowstorm, it lost some 1,000 metres in few seconds due to strong downdrafts. The pilot increased the engine power to gain altitude when the airplane impacted a tree located on the top of the Mt Terrione and crashed. Due to poor weather conditions, SAR operations were unable to localize the airplane and the first rescuers arrived on site five days later, on April 28. Three passengers were found seriously injured while all five other occupants, among them all three crew, were killed. Crew: André Corouge, pilot, Mr. Guillotaux, radio navigator, Mr. Leroux, mechanic.
Aircraft reference details include registration F-ALCE, MSN 29, year of manufacture 1931.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 39.7768°, 16.1565°.
Fatalities
Total
5
Crew
3
Passengers
2
Other
0
Crash Summary
Named 'Provence', the aircraft was spotted over Castrovillari at 0740LT while cruising at a height of 2,500 metres. In a snowstorm, it lost some 1,000 metres in few seconds due to strong downdrafts. The pilot increased the engine power to gain altitude when the airplane impacted a tree located on the top of the Mt Terrione and crashed. Due to poor weather conditions, SAR operations were unable to localize the airplane and the first rescuers arrived on site five days later, on April 28. Three passengers were found seriously injured while all five other occupants, among them all three crew, were killed. Crew: André Corouge, pilot, Mr. Guillotaux, radio navigator, Mr. Leroux, mechanic.
Cause: Weather
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
3
Passengers On Board
5
Estimated Survivors
3
Fatality Rate
62.5%
Known people on board: 8
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Saigon – Kerkyra – Naples – Marseille
Operator
Air OrientFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
Europe • Italy
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Royal Air Force - RAF
Handley Page H.P.12
The aircraft departed London on a flight to Cairo, carrying four crew members. In Paris, one passenger, Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence (awa Lawrence of Arabia) embarked to fly to Cairo after taking part to the 1919 Peace Conference in Paris. While approaching Rome-Centocelle Airport at dusk, the pilot encountered limited visibility and attempted a go-around procedure when the aircraft clipped a tree and crashed upside down. Both pilots were killed and three other occupants were injured. Crew: 2nd Lt Frederick George Prince, pilot, † 2nd Lt Sydney Spratt, pilot, † Aircraftman F. J. Daw +1. Passenger: Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence.
De Havilland Aeroplane Hire Service
De Havilland DH.9
Shortly after takeoff from Venice Airport, while climbing, the aircraft named 'Atlanta' crashed in the sea and sank. All four occupants were killed.
Compagnie Internationale de Navigation Aérienne - CIDNA
Caudron C.59
The crew was engaged in a reconnaissance flight to find new routes to Far East. While approaching the Italian coast following an uneventful flight from Tehran, he encountered technical problems and was forced to ditch the aircraft in the Bay of Naples. Both pilots evacuated safely and were later rescued by the crew of a Danish ship while the aircraft sank and was lost. Crew: Maurice Noguès, Chief Pilot August Morin, mechanic.
Air Union France
Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-196
On the leg from Ajaccio to Tunis, while flying over the Mediterranean Sea, the crew encountered engine problems and ditched the aircraft off Ustica Island, north of Palermo. The crew was rescued three days later and the aircraft was recovered but considered as written off. Crew: Jean Ponce, pilot, Mr. Maillard, mechanic.
Società Italiana Servizi Aerei - SISA
CANT 10
Crashed in sea in unknown circumstances.
L'Aéropostale
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.