What happened
On the approach to runway 12 at Marville, an aircraft operating Service Flight 90 departed from London-Gatwick Airport carrying a cargo of 2.5 tons of goods along with six crew members and five passengers. During the final approach phase, the aircraft was being monitored by GCA radar control. While the controller reported the plane was on the glide path and performing an azimuth correction, the aircraft descended into trees within the Montmédy forest. The impact occurred approximately 2 km short of the runway, causing the aircraft to burst into flames.
The accident resulted in eight fatalities, including four crew members and four passengers, while three other occupants sustained injuries.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the GCA radar equipment produced an abnormal return due to an unidentified technical defect. The controller, who lacked sufficient proficiency, misinterpreted this signal error as a target extension. This led to the aircraft being directed onto a glide path that was roughly 160 to 175 feet below the standard altitude. Additionally, the pilot descended the aircraft approximately 40 feet below the minimum allowable approach altitude. The primary contributing factor was the controller's failure to recognize the faulty radar return due to inadequate training and supervision.