Incident Overview
Date: Saturday 11 August 1951
Aircraft Type: Douglas DC-3D
Owner/operator: Air France
Registration Number: F-BAXB
Location: Moisville –
ÿ France
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Component Affected: The DC-3 aircraft’s engines and airframe.The DC-3 aircraft’s engines and airframe.
Category: Accident
On Le Bourget Airport, a DC-3 aircraft experienced a sudden and catastrophic breakup in flight, resulting in a crash. The incident occurred at 09:25, following a sighting of the aircraft breaking up.On Le Bourget Airport, a DC-3 aircraft experienced a sudden and catastrophic breakup in flight, resulting in a crash. The incident occurred at 09:25, following a sighting of the aircraft breaking up.
Description
The DC-3 departed Le Bourget Airport at 07:50 on a flight to test a new type of air scoop, fitted to one of the engines. At 09:25 witnesses saw the aircraft break up in flight and crash. PROBABLE CAUSE: “Abnormal flight maneuver made when the crew experienced difficulty in resuming normal flight on the two engines. Overspeed, reduction of pitch or difficulty in restarting the engine may have created a dangerous situation and caused the aircraft to stall in dissymmetrical flight, thus subjecting the airframe to stresses accompanied by buffeting which was either alternating or exceeded the design limits of the structure and caused the tail-plane to break off.”
Primary Cause
Abnormal flight maneuver caused by difficulty resuming normal flight on the two engines, potentially involving overspeed, reduced pitch, or engine restart difficulties, leading to a dangerous situation and stalling.Abnormal flight maneuver caused by difficulty resuming normal flight on the two engines, potentially involving overspeed, reduced pitch, or engine restart difficulties, leading to a dangerous situation and stalling.Share on:
