Latécoère 631

France Hydro

The aircraft was performing a flight from Lake Léré to Douala, carrying eight passengers, a crew of eight and a load of cotton bales. While cruising in a tropical storm, the aircraft encountered thunderstorm activity and severe turbulences when a wing failed. Out of control, the airplane went into a dive and crashed 60 km north of Banyo. The airplane was destroyed and all 16 occupants were killed. This was the last mission for this aircraft and its crew who must fly back to Biscarosse (France) to conduct tests and maintenance. This was also the last Latécoère 631 in service.

Société d'Exploitation du Matériel Aéronautique Français

The crew (engineers and pilots) were engaged in a test flight on this third prototype consisting of controls in flight following severe vibrations on the engines. While cruising at an altitude of 1,200 meters, the six engines seaplane lost a part on the right wing, went out of control and crashed into the sea about one km northwest of Le Cap Ferret. The crew of a trawler and a French Marine boat found some debris floating on water but unfortunately, all 12 occupants were killed. Crew: Robert Boissard, Chief Pilot, Mr. Dumonteil, mechanic, Kléber Coulé, mechanic, Henri Faugère, mechanic, Alexandre Lepêcheur, radio operator, Mr. Renaud, technical director, Mr. Remaury, technician, Adj Grezel, Mr. Malpot, engineer, Mr. Bouchery, techincal director, Mr. Martin, engineer, Mr. Brolin, engineer.

Air France

The crew was performing a flight from Fort-de-France, Martinique, to Paris, with an intermediate stop in Port-Etienne, Mauritania. While cruising by night over the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,920 km from Port-Etienne (now Nouadhibou), the aircraft crashed into the ocean in unknown circumstances at 2355LT. No message was sent by the crew. SAR operations were jointly conducted by several countries and few debris were found by the crew of USS Campbell three days later, on August 4. Unfortunately, none of the 52 occupants survived the crash of this six-engine aircraft christened 'Henri Guillaumet'. Crew: Corentin Kersual, pilot, Jean Goutay, copilot, Henri Gloux, radio navigator, Gontran Ronat, radio navigator, Henri Cabanes, navigator, Gaston Le Morvan, mechanic, Jean Coustaline, mechanic, Alfred Jaggi, mechanic, Mr. Arbelot, mechanic, Mr. Sgourdeos, steward, Mr. Meunier, steward.

Latécoère Industries

Few minutes after takeoff from Le Havre, while flying over the Bay of Seine, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls. The seaplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off the Saint-Marcouf Islands, between Le Havre and Cherbourg. The aircraft was lost and all 19 occupants, pilots and engineers of the manufacturer, were killed.