Nieuport-Delage NiD-641

Société de Transports Aériens Rapides - STAR

While cruising over the Alps and approaching the Lus-la-Croix-Haute Pass from the south, the pilot encountered misty conditions and the visibility was low. The aircraft hit the ground and crashed near the pass. The pilot Albert Bouthier and two passengers were killed while two other passengers were injured. The aircraft was returning to Paris with few other airplanes from the same operator, carrying some 20 models accompanying the French fashion designer Aline Chiffon. It was descending to Grenoble-Moirans Airport, a scheduled intermediate stop before continuing to Dijon and Paris. Crew: Albert Bouthier, pilot. † Passengers: Mrs. Aluta (aka Aline Chiffon), † Mr. Arbeau, † Mrs. Soskins, Mr. Amon.

L'Aéropostale

The aircraft departed Paris-Le Bourget on a mail flight to Saigon, carrying three crew members. Intermediate stops were scheduled in Marseille, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Benghazi, Cairo, Basra, Agra, Allahabad, Calcutta, Akyab and Yangon. En route from Tripoli to Benghazi, the aircraft crashed in the Mediterranean Sea in unknown circumstances. As the airplane failed to arrive in Benghazi, SAR operations were initiated and on December 23, the crew of an Italian ship found the wreckage and the dead bodied on a beach located near Sirte. Crew: Edmond Lasalle, pilot, Mr. Reybard, radio navigator, Mr. Faltot, engineer.