1955-12-03: Bristol 170 Freighter (9696) — Royal Canadian Air Force - RCAF — Marville AFB, France

7 fatalitiesMarville AFB, FranceLanding (descent or approach)

A flight traveling from Grostenquin Airbase crashed into a wooded area near Marville Air Force Base during a landing approach in heavy fog.

What happened

On the date of the accident, an aircraft departed from Grostenly Airbase at 11:00 local time, intended for a flight to London with a scheduled stop at Marville AFB. While performing a Glide Path Control Approach (GCA) toward runway 12, the flight encountered dense fog.

During this approach phase, the aircraft struck trees and crashed within the Montmédy forest, situated less than five kilometers north of the airfield. The impact resulted in 14 fatalities, accounting for all seven passengers and the seven crew members on board.

Findings

  • The flight was operating under low visibility conditions caused by fog.
  • The aircraft collided with vegetation during the final approach to the runway.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck trees during a GCA approach due to encountering foggy weather conditions.