What happened
During a local training operation near Tourane (present-day Đà Nẵng), two aircraft belonging to the French Air Force were involved in a mid-air collision. The first aircraft, a three-engine plane, was performing a flight with a crew of two and 13 paratroopers on board. While maintaining cruise altitude in the area near the airport, it struck another aircraft, an AAC.1 Toucan with registration 328/F-RBEH. This second aircraft was also carrying 13 paratroopers and a crew of two pilots.
Following the impact, both planes descended rapidly into a field. The crash resulted in 30 fatalities, accounting for every person on board both aircraft. No survivors were reported from either flight.
Findings
The specific details surrounding how the mid-air collision occurred have not been determined, as the exact circumstances of the impact remain unknown.