1960-08-17: Avro 683 Lancaster (55.S.4) — French Navy (Aéronavale - Marine Nationale) — El Kelâa des Sraghna, Morocco

20 fatalitiesEl Kelâa des Sraghna, MoroccoFlight

An aircraft flying toward Agadir crashed in hilly terrain following an engine fire, resulting in the loss of all 20 people on board.

What happened

During a nighttime flight destined for Agadir, the crew of the aircraft, identified by registration WU-26, contacted air traffic control to report an active engine fire. In response to the emergency, the flight crew decided to divert the mission to Casablanca Airport.

Shortly after this communication, the aircraft type crashed into hilly terrain in the vicinity of El Kelâa des Sraghna. The impact caused the plane to burst into flames upon hitting the ground. There were no survivors of the accident; the crash resulted in 20 fatalities.

Findings

Investigations into the incident determined that the primary factor leading to the crash was an engine fire during flight.

Probable cause

An engine fire occurred while the aircraft was en route, leading to a loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain.