Roosevelt Field - Paris

The Orteig prize was won by Charles Lindbergh last 22nd of May so the crew was preparing the aircraft for the first postal and nonstop transatlantic flight between the United States and Paris. The aircraft named 'America' departed Roosevelt Field on 29JUN1927 with a crew of four on board. The flight was hard with many difficulties en route. Arriving over Paris from the north, the crew contacted ground services at Le Bourget Airport at 0110LT to obtain assistance as he was unable to localize the airport due to foggy conditions. After few minutes, the crew decided to return to the north and saw some lights on the ground and the sea as well. At this time, the crew realized he was not over Paris but Normandy. Due to poor visibility (night and fog) and fuel shortage, the crew understood it was not possible to continue to Paris anymore so he attempted to make an emergency landing. Aircraft eventually came to rest in the sea some 300 metres offshore, near Ver-sur-Mer. When it contacted water, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and nosed down before coming to rest. All four occupants evacuated the cabin themselves and swam to the beach. While all four occupants were slightly injured, the aircraft was recovered few hours later but was destroyed. The mail was later recovered as well. Crew: Cdt Richard E. Byrd, pilot, Bert Acosta, pilot, Bernt Balchen, pilot, George O. Noville, radio officer.

Flight / Schedule

Roosevelt Field - Paris

Aircraft

Fokker F7

Registration

NX206

MSN

703

Year of Manufacture

1927

Date

July 1, 1927 at 02:32 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Postal (mail)

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Ver-sur-Mer Calvados

Region

Europe • France

Coordinates

49.3319°, -0.5283°

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On July 1, 1927 at 02:32 AM, Roosevelt Field - Paris experienced a crash involving Fokker F7, operated by America Transoceanic Company, with the event recorded near Ver-sur-Mer Calvados.

The flight was categorized as postal (mail) and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The Orteig prize was won by Charles Lindbergh last 22nd of May so the crew was preparing the aircraft for the first postal and nonstop transatlantic flight between the United States and Paris. The aircraft named 'America' departed Roosevelt Field on 29JUN1927 with a crew of four on board. The flight was hard with many difficulties en route. Arriving over Paris from the north, the crew contacted ground services at Le Bourget Airport at 0110LT to obtain assistance as he was unable to localize the airport due to foggy conditions. After few minutes, the crew decided to return to the north and saw some lights on the ground and the sea as well. At this time, the crew realized he was not over Paris but Normandy. Due to poor visibility (night and fog) and fuel shortage, the crew understood it was not possible to continue to Paris anymore so he attempted to make an emergency landing. Aircraft eventually came to rest in the sea some 300 metres offshore, near Ver-sur-Mer. When it contacted water, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and nosed down before coming to rest. All four occupants evacuated the cabin themselves and swam to the beach. While all four occupants were slightly injured, the aircraft was recovered few hours later but was destroyed. The mail was later recovered as well. Crew: Cdt Richard E. Byrd, pilot, Bert Acosta, pilot, Bernt Balchen, pilot, George O. Noville, radio officer.

Aircraft reference details include registration NX206, MSN 703, year of manufacture 1927.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 49.3319°, -0.5283°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The Orteig prize was won by Charles Lindbergh last 22nd of May so the crew was preparing the aircraft for the first postal and nonstop transatlantic flight between the United States and Paris. The aircraft named 'America' departed Roosevelt Field on 29JUN1927 with a crew of four on board. The flight was hard with many difficulties en route. Arriving over Paris from the north, the crew contacted ground services at Le Bourget Airport at 0110LT to obtain assistance as he was unable to localize the airport due to foggy conditions. After few minutes, the crew decided to return to the north and saw some lights on the ground and the sea as well. At this time, the crew realized he was not over Paris but Normandy. Due to poor visibility (night and fog) and fuel shortage, the crew understood it was not possible to continue to Paris anymore so he attempted to make an emergency landing. Aircraft eventually came to rest in the sea some 300 metres offshore, near Ver-sur-Mer. When it contacted water, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and nosed down before coming to rest. All four occupants evacuated the cabin themselves and swam to the beach. While all four occupants were slightly injured, the aircraft was recovered few hours later but was destroyed. The mail was later recovered as well. Crew: Cdt Richard E. Byrd, pilot, Bert Acosta, pilot, Bernt Balchen, pilot, George O. Noville, radio officer.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

4

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

4

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 4

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Roosevelt Field - Paris

Flight Type

Postal (mail)

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

Europe • France

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Fokker F7

Registration

NX206

MSN

703

Year of Manufacture

1927