Statuts: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Date: | samedi 3 février 1951 |
Type/Sous-type: | Douglas DC-4-1009 |
Compagnie: | Air France |
Immatriculation: | F-BBDO |
Numéro de série: | 42992 |
Année de Fabrication: | 1946 |
Equipage: | victimes: 6 / Ã bord: 6 |
Passagers: | victimes: 23 / Ã bord: 23 |
Total: | victimes: 29 / Ã bord: 29 |
Dégats de l'appareil: | Détruit |
Conséquences: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
Lieu de l'accident: | 12 km (7.5 milles) N of Buéa ( Cameroun)
|
Élévation des lieux de l'accident: | 2591 m (8501 feet) amsl |
Phase de vol: | En vol (ENR) |
Nature: | Transport de Passagers Intern. |
Aéroport de départ: | Douala Airport (DLA/FKKD), Cameroun |
Aéroport de destination: | Niamey Airport (NIM/DRRN), Niger |
Détails:The Air France DC-4, named "Ciel de Savoie", landed at Douala at 12:00 and after refueling took off at 14:08 on the leg to Niamey, Niger. This leg was part of the Air France service between Brazzaville, Congo and Paris. The flight plan indicated that the pilot intended to take the southern route to Niamey, avoiding higher terrain, with an en route altitude of 8500 feet. Some four minutes after takeoff the flight made a sharp climbing turn heading NNW, on a straight course to Niamey over the British Cameroon mountains. The plane possibly drifted towards higher terrain until it was heading for Cameroon Mountain (elevation: 13,354 feet). The crew were facing the sun. Seen through the mist the mountain was probably only partially or faintly visible. They probably saw the mountain until it was too late to climb over it. The pilot immediately made a sharp left turn but the plane hit the steeply rising terrain with the left wing. The aircraft then impacted the mountain at an altitude of about 8500 feet.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "On their own initiative the crew abandoned the current procedure and followed a different and inaccurate procedure. The navigation was not sufficiently accurate and the draft was not checked. Error of judgement and over-confidence when flying over mountain mass. "
Sources:
» ICAO Circular 31 (p.28-31)
Photos
Plan
Ce plan montre l'aéroport de départ ainsi que la supposée destination du vol. La ligne fixe reliant les deux aéroports n'est pas le plan de vol exact.
La distance entre Douala Airport et Niamey Airport est de 1333 km (833 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Les informations ci-dessus ne représentent pas l'opinion de la 'Flight Safety Foundation' ou de 'Aviation Safety Network' sur les causes de l'accident. Ces informations prélimimaires sont basées sur les faits tel qu'ils sont connus à ce jour.