Accident Douglas DC-3 F-BEIZ,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 335790
 

Date:Wednesday 12 September 1951
Time:12:30
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC3 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Douglas DC-3
Owner/operator:Société de Transports Aériens Alpes Provence-STAAP
Registration: F-BEIZ
MSN: 32733/15985
Year of manufacture:1945
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C
Fatalities:Fatalities: 39 / Occupants: 39
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category:Accident
Location:132 km W off Palma, Islas Baleares, Spain -   Mediterranean Sea
Phase: En route
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:Perpignan Airport (PGF/LFMP)
Destination airport:Oran-es Senia Airport (ORN/DAOO)
Investigating agency: BEA
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
A Douglas DC-3 passenger plane, registered F-BEIZ, was destroyed when it crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. All 36 passengers and three crew members were killed.
In the morning of September 12, 1951 the captain filed an IFR flight plan for a direct flight from Perpignan Airport (PGF), France across the Mediterranean Sea to Oran-es Senia Airport (ORN) in Algeria. Planned en route altitude was 8000 feet and estimated flying time was 3 hours and 15 minutes. The en route weather forecast showed that a storm would be present in the area between the Balearic Island and the Spanish main land with possible cumulo-nimbus clouds with turbulence and hail.
The DC-3 took off at 10:45 from runway 13 at Perpignan Airport. The crew made several en route position reports and contacted a controller at Algiers at 12:26, requesting a descent from 8000 to 6000 feet. This was approved by the controller at 12:28. This was the last radio contact with the flight.
A search was initiated when the airplane failed to arrive at Oran. After a 4-day search several pieces of wreckage were found.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Failure of airframe following loss of control in difficult weather conditions into which the pilot had flown the aircraft."

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: BEA
Report number: Final report
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

ICAO Circular 38-AN/33 (19-20)

Location

Revision history:

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