Accident description
Last updated: 25 May 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 03 AUG 1954 |
| Type: | Lockheed L-1049C Super Constellation |
| Operator: | Air France |
| Registration: | F-BGNA |
| C/n / msn: | 4510 |
| First flight: | 1953 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 8 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 29 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 37 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | near Preston, CT (United States of America) |
| Phase: | Unknown (UNK) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Paris-Orly Airport (ORY/LFPO), France |
| New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL), United States of America |
The ILS approach to New York was discontinued because of unexpected heavy turbulence, heavy rain and low ceiling. The crew then elected to divert to Boston. Fuel exhaustion then forced the flight crew to carry out a belly landing in a field. The Constellation burned out.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Inadequate in-flight planning, in that the captain did not make a firm selection of a suitable airport within range of the fuel remaining at the time of the missed approach, necessitating an off-airport landing." Events:
Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 47-AN/42 (131-139)
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 Paris-Orly Airport to New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY as the crow flies is 5791 km (3619 miles).
Distance from Paris-Orly Airport to New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY as the crow flies is 5791 km (3619 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.
