Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard

Keenair Warbirds West

The purpose of the flight was to familiarise a prospective purchaser with the handling of the aircraft. The captain who was the owner of the aircraft and held a Private Pilot's Licence with an Instructor's Rating, occupied the right-hand seat and the other pilot, who also held a Private Pilot's Licence, occupied the left-hand seat. The weather was fine with a light north-easterly wind. Before takeoff, some oil was noticed on the windscreen but neither the pilot considered that it warranted any action. Following an uneventful takeoff during which the engine and propeller functioned normally, some minutes were spent in the local area before it was decided to visit Barton. Liverpool ATC was informed and G-PU set course to Barton. On approaching Barton, some 20 minutes into the flight, an adjustment to the engine controls resulted in a significant increase in the amount of oil on the windscreen. The captain was unconcerned but the pilot kin the left-hand seat thought that he might have problems with visibility for landing. Shortly after this, Barton radio passed the airfield information which gave the landing runway as 09 with a left hand circuit. When crosswind at a height estimated by ground observers to be about 500 feet agl, the captain selected the propeller control to fully fine as part of his pre-landing checks. Coincident with this action, the windscreen and side windows became covered with a large quantity of oil which totally obscured both pilots view of the outside world. The operation manual recommends that under these circumstances the propeller be selected to coarse pitch to reduce the flow of oil. The captain did not execute this procedure because he considered that configuring the aircraft for an immediate landing in fine pitch was his priority in the prevailing circumstances. Both pilots opened their direct vision panels which enabled them to see the ground abeam the aircraft but not forward vision was possible because of the large amount of smoke that was ny now streaming back from the engine. The presence of smoke led the crew to believe that the aircraft might be on fire. Since the pilot in the left-hand seat could see towards the runway, it was decided that he should retain control and attempt to position the aircraft for a landing on runway 09. The captain made a radio call requesting priority in the circuit but the radio operator in the control tower received only carrier wave and assumed the call to be the captain's downwind report and replied accordingly. The aircraft's permanent radios not functioning and a hand held transceiver was being used by the pilot. Previous radio communications had been satisfactory. When it was judged that G-PU was at the end of the downwind leg, a turn onto base leg was initiated and a descent commenced. After turning towards the estimated position of the runway 09 threshold, the captain realised that he was high and selected full flap. It then became apparent to him that not only was the aircraft too high but that it had also flown through the runway centerline and he judged that, because of the presence of houses in the over-run are of runway 09, a safe landing could not be made. He therefore elected to go-around and increased power. The engine responded normally but the aircraft failed to either climb or accelerate. G-PU was now at a height estimated to be between 200 and 300 feet agl and the captain decided to retain full flap for a further circuit. During the subsequent left turn and downwind leg the aircraft as observed to be steadily losing height and the radio operator in the control tower alerted the emergency services in anticipation of a crash. G-PU continued its turn towards the airfield at a very low altitude but the crew did not have enough visual reference to determine their position. When it became apparent to the handling pilot that he was very close to the ground, he leveled the wings and waited for the inevitable impact. G-PU struck a stand of small trees and on the top of the M62 motorway embankment while on a heading of 180°, it then struck a motorway sign and several vehicles before coming to rest on the hard shoulder on a westerly heading. Neither pilot was aware that they had landed on the motorway until they vacated the aircraft. Neither pilot was injured but a car passenger sustained serious injuries.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

The crew departed Solenzara AFB on a training mission. The single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances by the Asinao Pass, about 16 km southwest of the Solenzara Airbase. All three occupants were killed.

Instituto Nacional de Aviación Civil

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Occupant fate unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate unknown.

École Départementale de Parachutisme Sportif

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Occupant fate unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Occupant's fate unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Shortly after takeoff from Ambérieu-en-Bugey Airfield, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Bernard Germain, pilot. Passengers: AdjC Jean-Claude Canet, Maj André Duquesnoy, Maj Henri Sothier, AdjC Joseph Buffet, AdjC Bernard Rovoyard.

Private Brazilian

Crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located somewhere in the State of Pará while completing a flight from Miritituba to Garimpo Patrocinio. No trace of the aircraft nor the six occupants was ever found.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

The single engine airplane was engaged in a local skydiving mission, carrying a crew of two (one pilot and one mechanic) and four skydivers on behalf of the Aviation Légère de l'Armée de Terre (ALAT). Just after takeoff, while climbing, black smoke was coming out from the engine that lost power. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on a road but due to traffic, he tried to land in an open field when the airplane struck a bank and crashed in flames. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed. Six days later, the mechanic died from his injuries.

Instituto Nacional de Aviación Civil

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Argentina. Crew fate unknown.

Instituto Nacional de Aviación Civil

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Argentina. Crew fate unknown. Operated by Argentinian AF on behalf of the National Civil Aviation Institute (Instituto Nacional de Aviación Civil - INAC).

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed upon landing at N'Djamena Airport. All occupants were injured.

Centre de Parachutisme de Lille

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Kooigem while completing a local skydiving mission. The aircraft was destroyed and there were no casualties.

Instituto Nacional de Aviación Civil

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Argentina. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

Instituto Nacional de Aviación Civil

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Argentina. Crew fate remains unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Occupant's fate remains unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed in unknown circumstances while descending to Pau-Uzein Airport. All seven occupants were killed.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

In unknown circumstances, the Broussard registered 234/F-TESR collided in flight with a second French Army Broussard registered 185/F-TESS. While the second Broussard was able to land, the first crashed and was destroyed. The crew fate remains unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

While completing a local training flight at Chenevières-Saint-Clément AFB, the single engine aircraft crashed in the Mondon forest located north of the airbase. The crew fate remains unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

The single engine airplane departed Salon-de-Provence Airbase on a training mission over the Alps with a pilot and five skydivers on board. While cruising at an altitude of 1,300 meters, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in flames near Moissière Pass. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Jean Salette. Passengers: S/Sgt Jean Bousquet, Cpt Yves Charpentier, Cpt Bernard Pergeline, Cpt Bernard Billiet, Cpt Max Bonnaud.

Niger Air Force - Forces aériennes nigériennes

Crashed in unknown circumstances at Zinder Airport. No casualties.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and heavy rain falls when the single engine aircraft crashed in a wooded area located on the slope of Mt Hornisgrinde (1,164 meters high), near Seebach. All five occupants were killed. Gen Jacques Navelet, Lt Col Bertrand Chaudessolle, Chef d’escadron Antoine Berlandier, Adj Francis Petit, Mlc Michel Jacquet.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

While on a flight from Colmar, the crew encountered engine difficulties and the pilot attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field located near Reims and came to rest. There were no casualties. It is believed the engine failure was caused by icing.

Cameroon Air Force - Armée de l'Air du Cameroun

Crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching Bafoussam Airport. The wreckage was found in Balessing, some 13 km west of the airport. The crew fate remains unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crash landed at Luxeuil-Saint Sauveur AFB. There were no casualties.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

A loss of oil pressure in flight forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing in a field located in Montainville. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Portuguese Air Force - Força Aerea Portuguesa

En route, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. The pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Union Aéromaritime de Transport - UAT

The single engine aircraft departed Alpe d'Huez Aerodrome with one pilot and two employees from Europe 1, one journalist and one sound engineer, who wanted to make a reportage about the recent avalanches. While approaching the mountain located above Alpe d'Huez, the aircraft was caught by severe downdrafts and crashed in a rocky area located at an altitude of 2,070 meters. A passenger was killed while both other occupants were seriously injured. Few hours later, they died from their injuries. Crew: Mathieu Conti. Passengers: Pierre Nicoli, sound engineer, Francis Lauga, journalist.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

En route from Colomb-Béchar to Algiers, the single engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located in the Djebel Doui, south of Aïn Defla. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. The flight was operated on behalf of the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT).

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

En route, the crew considered the fuel jauges as too low and as a precaution, attempted an emergency landing to avoid any fuel exhaustion. The pilot-in-command spotted a flat terrain on a plateau and decided to land when the aircraft crashed in which was actually a swamp. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all occupants were seriously injured.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Pyrenees Mountain Range, killing all five occupants.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Djebel Zerouela, southeast of Meftah. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

Crashed in a mountainous area located near Souk El Khemis, killing all four occupants.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

While cruising by night, the single engine aircraft struck trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located near Argelès-sur-Mer, in the Albères Mountain Range. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Georges Crozet, Cpt Pierre Momège, S/Sgt André Ratte (Escadrille de liaisons aériennes 56 du Vaucluse), Lt Paul Piquet, W/O Jean Legrand, S/Sgt Guy Moreau.