Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 1 September 1953
Aircraft Type: Lockheed L-749A Constellation
Owner/operator: Air France
Registration Number: F-BAZZ
Location: Mont Le Cimet – ÿ France
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 42 / Occupants: 42
Component Affected: The Lockheed L-749A Constellation aircraft.The Lockheed L-749A Constellation aircraft.
Category: Accident
Narrative
A Lockheed L-749A Constellation, F-BAZZ, crashed into the side of Mont Le Cimet, resulting in the deaths of 33 passengers and nine crew members. The aircraft, operating from Paris to Saigon via planned stops in Nice, Beirut, Baghdad, Karachi, and Calcutta, deviated from its planned course during descent. Investigators determined the flight deviated unexpectedly.A Lockheed L-749A Constellation, F-BAZZ, crashed into the side of Mont Le Cimet, resulting in the deaths of 33 passengers and nine crew members. The aircraft, operating from Paris to Saigon via planned stops in Nice, Beirut, Baghdad, Karachi, and Calcutta, deviated from its planned course during descent. Investigators determined the flight deviated unexpectedly.

Description

A Lockheed L-749A Constellation, F-BAZZ, was destroyed when it crashed into the side of Mont Le Cimet (3020 m), 80 km northwest of Nice, France. All 33 passengers and nine crew members were killed. Among the passengers a famous French violinist, Jacques Thibaud. The airplane operated on an Air France service from Paris to Saigon. En route stops were planned at Nice (NCE), Beirut (BEY), Baghdad, Karachi (KHI) and Calcutta (CCU). The airplane had initiated its descent for Nice when it struck the mountainside. Investigators concluded that the flight had deviated from the planned course for unknown reasons. The flight to Nice was planned via Mont‚limar, 150 km west of Mont Le Cimet. Over Mont‚limar it should have turned southeast for Nice.

Source of Information

http://www.flickr.com/photos/constel/sets/72157614070474211/http://www.flickr.com/photos/constel/sets/72157614070474211/

Primary Cause

Deviation from planned course during descent.Deviation from planned course during descent.

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