Martin B-26 Marauder

American Airpower Heritage Museum

Witnesses observed the aircraft approximately 250 feet above the ground heading towards the southwest. As the aircraft passed overhead, the 'engines were sputtering.' Approximately 3/4 mile from the witnesses, the aircraft made a 'sharp' right turn, nosed down, and impacted the ground. The engines 'quit' prior to the aircraft turning right. According to the operator, the flight was in preparation for a flight evaluation for the pilot-in-command by an FAA inspector. The pilot reported to Departure Control that he would be 'working on stalls and steep turns,' and the pilot was instructed to 'maintain VFR at or above five thousand five hundred.' The pilot-in-command had accumulated approximately 500 hours in the B-26. Prior to the accident flight, he had flown the B-26 once since October 8, 1993. That flight was on September 26, 1995, for a duration of 30 minutes. Prior to the flight the fuel tanks were 'sticked' and the total fuel was approximately 720 gallons of 100 octane low lead avgas. Examination of the airplane and engines did not disclose any pre mishap discrepancies. Due to the extent of damage, flight control continuity could not be established.

Private Mexican

Crashed shortly after takeoff from Mexico City Airport for unknown reason. Three passengers were killed while five other occupants were injured. The airplane was owned by R. O'Farrell.

Continental Can Company

The purpose of this flight was to transport the executives from Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, to Baltimore, Maryland. Departure from Midway was at 1645LT. When the flight was near Marion, Ohio, and shortly after it had traversed an area of pronounced thunderstorm activity, it dived violently and nearly vertically to the ground. Destruction was of such extent that it could not be determined if a structural failure occurred in flight and consequently the probable cause of this accident could not be established.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

The aircraft left Mengen Airbase in the morning on a flight to Brétigny-sur-Orge, south of Paris, with several French Officers on board. Shortly before noon, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to heavy snow falls. While flying over the Vosges Mountain Range, the aircraft hit the slope of the snowy Le Ballon d'Alsace (1,247 meters high). The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 12 occupants were killed. Crew (Groupe II/20 Bretagne): S/Lt René Gasperment, pilot, Sgt René Le Pironnec, navigator, S/Lt André Taîb, radio operator, Sgt Léopold Ney, mechanic. Passengers: Cdt Jean Mahé, Chief of Groupe II/20 Bretagne, Cpt Loïc Le Saulnier, Cpt Robert Milbeau, Cdt Marcel Badoy, Mrs Simone Badoy, Mr Antoine Badoy (5 years old), Mrs Jeanne Marie Stern, spouse of Cdt Jean Mahé, Mr Robert Jolly, (9 years old, son of Cdt Jean Mahé).

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Shortly after takeoff from Lyon-Bron Airport, while climbing, the crew encountered an unexpected technical failure and lost control of the aircraft that crashed onto a hill located in Poleymieux-au-Mont-d’Or, north of Lyon. All five crew members and 11 passengers were killed. Crew: Cpt Thomas, pilot, Sgt René Bertini, copilot, Asp André Moreau, navigator, Sgt Aimé Barberis, radio operator, Cpl Darech, flight engineer.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

The crew was returning to Saint-Dizier with French soldiers on leave. On approach, the visibility was poor due to foggy conditions. The aircraft was too low and hit poplar tops before crashing in flames in Ambrières, few km from the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 12 occupants were killed. Crew (Groupe de Bombardement I/32 Gascogne): Roger Derycke, pilot, Pierre Lugrez, copilot, Henri Neys, Albert Onimus, Hubert Trouillet, Jean-François Rajon. Passengers: Pierre Danigo, Pierre Bertrand, Jean-Marc Zuccarelli, Emile Dufour, Roger Maniabal, Rapha'el Canneddu.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

The aircraft left Lyon-Bron Airfield in the early morning on an air bridge to Algiers. While flying over the Coirons mountain range at an altitude of 3,000 meters, the crew encountered technical problems with the right engine. The aircraft lost height and eventually stalled before crashing in a huge explosion in Mélas. All 20 occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Jacques Saiget, pilot, Sgt René André Richard, copilot, Lt Claude Victor Bit, navigator, Sgt Marc André Emery, radio operator, Sgt Gabriel Martinet, flight engineer. Passengers: Abade Ben Mohamed, Mohamed Adil, Bagled, Jacob Ben Illouz, Georges Fouyaux, Antoine Giauguliano, Biali Hassen, Hubert Hermandez, Louis André Lathuillère, Ahmed Mimoni, Mohamed Ben Mohamed, Maurice Paya, Lons Solers, Mohamed Taleb, Amer Zaza.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Attached to the Groupe de Bombardement Moyen I/22 Maroc, the aircraft left Lyon-Bron Airport in the morning to bomb several bridges over the Rhine. Approaching the target, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire, exploded and crashed in flames in a field located in Chalampé. Four crew members were killed while three others were wounded. The aircraft was registered 08 and 42-107713. Crew: Cdt Raoul Robert Albert Menard, pilot, † Cpt Lucien Joseph Theobald, bomber, † S/Lt Eugène Truchot, navigator, † Sgt/C Pierre Marc Boutin, radio operator, † Adj Jean-Baptiste Liebenguth, air gunner, Lt Fourlinnie, Cpl Letoffet, air gunner. Sources & photos: http://jmfischer.chez.com/jbliebenguth.html

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

About four minutes after takeoff from Lyon-Bron Airport, the right engine caught fire. The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing in a snowy field but the aircraft hit poplars and crashed in flames. While the aircraft was destroyed by fire, all five crew members were evacuated safely. The crew was returning to his base following a bombing mission over Rhine bridges. It is believed the aircraft may have been damaged by the German Flak during the operation. The crew was attached to the Groupe de Bombardement Moyen 2/63 Sénégal. Crew: Lt Willy Pinhede, pilot, Lt Duwernell, copilot, S/Lt Stoff, navigator, Adj Sagazan, radio operator, Victor Schoenenberger, flight engineer.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew departed Nassau-Lynden Pindling Field on a local training mission. Shortly after takeoff, the right engine failed. The crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude and the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea some 500 yards offshore, about 7 km northeast of the airport, near the Balmoral Island. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed. crew: F/O John Walter Wood, pilot, F/O Maurice Francis O’Neill, copilot.