Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer - Port Lyautey

On June 27, 1951 at 12:00 AM, Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer - Port Lyautey experienced a crash involving Breguet 730, operated by French Navy, with the event recorded near Kenitra Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

28 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 21 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 25.0%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 21, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew was performing a flight from Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer, south of Toulon, Var, to Port Lyautey, Morocco. The approach to the airbase was started from the southwest, but for unknown reason, the pilot was too low. The seaplane hit power cables and banked left, causing the left wing to hit the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled and crashed in flames along the Sebou River, few km from the airfield. Four crew members and three passengers were killed while all 20 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft christened 'Sirius' was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. The four crew members (33S Squadron) who were killed were: PM Maurice Souny, 2SM Roger Pouget, 2QM Raymond Jeandot, SM Joseph Cariou.

Aircraft reference details include registration 33.S.3, MSN 2, year of manufacture 1946.