Brazzaville – Pointe Noire – Libreville – Douala – Niamey – Algiers – Marseille – Paris
Flight / Schedule
Brazzaville – Pointe Noire – Libreville – Douala – Niamey – Algiers – Marseille – Paris
Aircraft
Douglas DC-4Registration
F-BBDO
MSN
42992
Year of Manufacture
1946
Operator
Air FranceDate
February 3, 1951 at 02:30 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Mt Cameroun Southwest
Region
Africa • Cameroon
Coordinates
4.2180°, 9.1734°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On February 3, 1951 at 02:30 PM, Brazzaville – Pointe Noire – Libreville – Douala – Niamey – Algiers – Marseille – Paris experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-4, operated by Air France, with the event recorded near Mt Cameroun Southwest.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.
29 people were known to be on board, 29 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 23, passenger fatalities: 23, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. 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.
Aircraft reference details include registration F-BBDO, MSN 42992, year of manufacture 1946.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 4.2180°, 9.1734°.
Fatalities
Total
29
Crew
6
Passengers
23
Other
0
Crash Summary
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.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
6
Passengers On Board
23
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 29
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Brazzaville – Pointe Noire – Libreville – Douala – Niamey – Algiers – Marseille – Paris
Operator
Air FranceFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
Africa • Cameroon
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Air France
Farman F.301
The airplane departed Zurich (Dübendorf) on a flight to Paris with an intermediate stop in Basel. It was carrying four chamois, 132 kilos of various goods, 239 kilos of gold and 20 kilos of mail. The crew departed Basel-Sternenfeld Airport at 1030LT in good weather conditions. But some 50 minutes into the flight, those conditions worsened and the visibility became poor due to fog. While cruising at an altitude of some 600 metres, the aircraft impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located on a hillside in Étobon, 12 km west of Belfort. A passenger and the radio navigator were killed while all three other occupants were injured. A chamois should be killed due to his injuries while all three others animals went away. All goods, gold and mail were recovered. The aircraft was named 'L'Étoile d'argent'. Crew: Gaston Lafannechère, pilot, Mr. Bloquet, mechanic, Camille Suply, radio navigator. The passenger killed was Mr. Werner Spoerri, a Swiss pharmacist leaving in Einsideln.
Air France
Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-213
The crew departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport at 0840LT on a mail flight to Croydon. Twenty minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 1,000 metres, the left engine caught fire. The crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that impacted an electricity pole and the roof of a factory before crashing in an affluent of the Avelon River, bursting into flames. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed. All mail, more than one ton, was also destroyed.
Air France
Latécoère 25
While on a mail flight to France, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in Roses and was damaged beyond repair. Both crew members were uninjured.
Air France
Breguet 280
The pilot René Carpentier was performing a flight from Lyon to Geneva. On approach to Geneva-Cointrin Airport, weather conditions were poor with fog and snow falls. The pilot decided to reduce his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft impacted ground and crashed in a snow covered field located in Confignon, some 6 km south of the airport. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair. The aircraft was still wearing the 'Air Union' title but was operated on behalf of Air France.
Air France
CAMS 53
The float plane departed Marseille at 0840LT on a flight to Algiers, carrying one passenger and three crew members. Some twenty minutes into the flight, one of the engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. The radio navigator was able to send a mayday message and to report his position. In bad weather conditions and rough sea, the crew of the ship named 'Sainte Marguerite II' arrived on scene at 0600LT the following day and was able to evacuate all four occupants who were slightly injured. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Air France
Dewoitine D.332
Due to sandstorm in Karachi, the crew continued his route to Gwadar, Baluchistan. At night, the aircraft landed long and hit an obstacle that damaged a landing gear. Following repairs, the aircraft departed Gwadar few hours later. In Marseille, the crew was informed about poor weather conditions on the leg to Paris so he decided to make an intermediate stop at Lyon-Bron Airport where it landed at 1620LT. Despite terrible weather conditions (snowstorm, low visibility and night), the crew departed Lyon at 1815LT bound for Paris. Several Officials were waiting on this aircraft flying from Saigon and a ceremony has been organized. About an hour into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 1,700 metres in snow falls, the aircraft named 'Émeraude' entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the hill of La Linarde near Corbigny. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 10 occupants were killed. Crew: André Launay, pilot, Camille Crampel, engineer, Ferdinand Queyrel, radio navigator. Passengers: Pierre Pasquier, Governor of Indochina, Maurice Noguès, Deputy Director by Air France, Maurice Balazuc, Director of Operations by Air France, Emmanuel Chaumié, Director of French Civil Aviation Authority, Colette Chaumié, Mr. Chaumié's wife, Cpt Léon BrusseauX, personal assistant to Mr. Pierre Pasquier, Jean-Jacques Larrieu, Head of mission by the Ministry of the Air.