Boeing S.307B-1 Stratoliner – F-BELZ

Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 29 December 1962

Aircraft Type: Boeing S.307B-1 Stratoliner

Owner/operator: Airnautic

Registration Number: F-BELZ

Location: Monte Renoso, Corsica – ÿ France

Phase of Flight: En route

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 25 / Occupants: 25

Component Affected: Aircraft Navigation System (specifically, the route instructions and altitude calculations leading to the turning point).Aircraft Navigation System (specifically, the route instructions and altitude calculations leading to the turning point).

Investigating Agency: BEABEA

Category: Accident

On July 12, 2023, a Boeing SA.307 Stratoliner experienced a significant incident near Bastia, France, resulting in a severe impact with a rock face on Monte Renoso. The aircraft, departing from Nice, encountered a turbulent weather situation and subsequently landed at Bastia. During the return flight to Corsica, the aircraft was cleared for a cruising altitude of 1200 feet, but experienced a sudden and catastrophic impact at an altitude of 2285 meters, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft. The impact caused a substantial slope and a collapse of the mountain face. The incident was attributed to a combination of human error by the flight crew, leading to multiple critical errors in navigation, altitude control, and safety procedures. These errors were exacerbated by insufficient supervision of flight operations, inaccurate route instructions, and a premature descent. The Board determined that the crew’s lack of proper instructions for the route between Bastia and Ajaccio, coupled with fatigue, contributed to the accident.On July 12, 2023, a Boeing SA.307 Stratoliner experienced a significant incident near Bastia, France, resulting in a severe impact with a rock face on Monte Renoso. The aircraft, departing from Nice, encountered a turbulent weather situation and subsequently landed at Bastia. During the return flight to Corsica, the aircraft was cleared for a cruising altitude of 1200 feet, but experienced a sudden and catastrophic impact at an altitude of 2285 meters, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft. The impact caused a substantial slope and a collapse of the mountain face. The incident was attributed to a combination of human error by the flight crew, leading to multiple critical errors in navigation, altitude control, and safety procedures. These errors were exacerbated by insufficient supervision of flight operations, inaccurate route instructions, and a premature descent. The Board determined that the crew’s lack of proper instructions for the route between Bastia and Ajaccio, coupled with fatigue, contributed to the accident.

Description

The Boeing SA.307 Stratoliner F-BELZ arrived at Bastia (BIA), France from Nice (NCE) at 05:25 UTC. The plane took off again for the return flight via Ajaccio (AJA), Corsica at 11:49 and was cleared for a cruising altitude of FL120, estimating Ajaccio at 12:20 UTC. Last radio contact with the flight was at 12:09 when th flight crew replied to the weather and active runway information from Ajaccio Approach. At 12:12 the flight flew into a sheer rock face of Monte Renoso which is located 45 km from the Ajaccio VOR on the 048 radial. Impact was at an altitude of 2285 m (7500 feet) and about 50 m (165 feet) below the summit. The aircraft rebounded after impact and fell about 100 m down the slope of the mountain. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The accident was attributed to a series of errors by the crew who: (1) made insufficient preparation for the flight and committed a serious error in estimating the duration of the flight. (2) failed to observe the cruising altitude entered on the flight plan. (3) failed to check properly the navigation of the aircraft which resulted in a wrong estimation of the position of the aircraft. (4) failed to maintain the safety altitude. and (5) started the descent prematurely, subsequently entering into instrument flight conditions. The errors of the crew were made possible (1) by a lack of supervision of the flights on the part of the operator; and (2) by a lack of correct route instructions for the segment Bastia-Ajaccio. The Board was led to conclude that the crew of F-BEIZ did not have the necessary instructions for the route via the turning point. Even supposing that the instructions supplied to the Board by the operator were issued before the accident, and that they were available to the pilot-in-command, the Board considered that these instructions were inaccurate and dangerous since they did not give the altitude at the turning point and they provided for a flight time between Bastia and Ajaccio which was incompatible with the attainment of safety altitudes. (3) by a certain fatigue of the crew. Although the regulations concerning flight time limitations were strictly observed, it is worth mentioning that the flight activity of the crew was fairly strenuous during the three days preceding the accident.”

Primary Cause

Inadequate route instructions and insufficient supervision of flight operations, particularly regarding the turning point between Bastia and Ajaccio, combined with the crew’s fatigue and the absence of proper altitude control procedures.Inadequate route instructions and insufficient supervision of flight operations, particularly regarding the turning point between Bastia and Ajaccio, combined with the crew’s fatigue and the absence of proper altitude control procedures.

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