Accident description
Last updated: 23 May 2013
| Status: | Preliminary |
| Date: | 27 JAN 1948 |
| Time: | 15:30 |
| Type: | Douglas C-47B-25-DK (DC-3) |
| Operator: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | 44-76443 |
| C/n / msn: | 16027/32775 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11 |
| Airplane damage: | Destroyed |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Montagne du Cheval-Blanc (Alpes-De-Haute-Provence) (France)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (LFMI), France |
| Pisa Airport (PSA/LIRP), Italy |
The USAF C-47 aircraft departed Istres-Le Tubé Air Base, France at 12:37 LT for a flight to Udine via Pisa, Italy. The pilot couldn't find his route because of a heavy snowstorm. He decided to return to Istres but the wind caused the aircraft to deviate significantly off course. The airplane flew into the side of a mountain 15:30 LT killing all occupants. The passengers were women and children of soldiers stationed at Udine. On 30th January, 1948 a B-17 Flying Fortress, searching for survivors, crashed at the same location. Nine occupants were killed and one survived.
Sources:
» Chroniques de Haute-Provence n° 354 (2005, 125e année), p 83-167.
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Istres-Le Tubé Air Base to Pisa Airport as the crow flies is 438 km (273 miles).
Distance from Istres-Le Tubé Air Base to Pisa Airport as the crow flies is 438 km (273 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
