Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 7 February 1953
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-54A-5-DC (DC-4)
Owner/operator: Union A‚romaritime de Transport
Registration Number: F-BFGR
Location: 5,5 km NE of Bordeaux-M‚rignac Airport (BOD) – ÿ France
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 21
Component Affected: C-54 aircraftC-54 aircraft
Investigating Agency: BEABEA
Category: Accident
A C-54 aircraft experienced a crash during en route travel from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to Paris, France, due to a combination of factors. The aircraft descended into terrain while on approach to Bordeaux, France, in poor visibility. The accident resulted in damage to the aircraft and a crash in a small wood.A C-54 aircraft experienced a crash during en route travel from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to Paris, France, due to a combination of factors. The aircraft descended into terrain while on approach to Bordeaux, France, in poor visibility. The accident resulted in damage to the aircraft and a crash in a small wood.

Description

The C-54 operated on a flight from Abidjan (ABJ), Ivory Coast, to Paris, France with en route stops at Casablanca and Bordeaux. While on approach to Bordeaux in poor visibility the airplane descended into terrain and crashed in a small wood. CAUSES: The causes of the accident classified in chronological order of occurrence can be analysed as follows: (a) Unsuccessful initiative of the tower controller and pilot error of judgement leading to an attempted landing in poor visibility; (b) Use of a procedure that takes up attention by over-using the means for directional guidance to the detriment of a safe altitude; (c) Probable altimeter error (setting or other); (d) Error of appreciation of the vertical of the outer marker. Crew fatigue resulting from excessively long continuous working hours and interference with the crew’s work caused by the presence of two extra members in the cockpit during training may have contributed to the occurrence of the above errors. It is indeed necessary to point out here, in favour of the pilot, qualities of seriousness, prudence and perfect competence unanimously recognized.

Primary Cause

Unsuccessful initiative of the tower controller and pilot error of judgement leading to an attempted landing in poor visibility; Use of a procedure that takes up attention by over-using the means for directional guidance to the detriment of a safe altitude; Probable altimeter error (setting or other); Error of appreciation of the vertical of the outer marker.Unsuccessful initiative of the tower controller and pilot error of judgement leading to an attempted landing in poor visibility; Use of a procedure that takes up attention by over-using the means for directional guidance to the detriment of a safe altitude; Probable altimeter error (setting or other); Error of appreciation of the vertical of the outer marker.

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