What happened
A twin-engine aircraft departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport at approximately 15:00 local time, destined for Boufarik Air Base near Algiers. The flight was carrying a crew of five, one passenger from the National Bank of Algeria, and cargo consisting of fiduciary papers used in banknote manufacturing.
While cruising at flight level 150, the aircraft encountered icing conditions. In an attempt to avoid these conditions, the crew initiated a climb to a higher altitude. During this ascent, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent. The plane partially disintegrated mid-air before impacting a field in Saint-Germain-du-Teil, located roughly 20 km east of Mende. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft type and all 6 fatalities.
Findings
An investigation by the French BEA concluded that the accident was driven by excessive frost accretion across all surfaces of the airframe. The aircraft was operating at the edge of its performance capabilities while navigating dangerous weather phenomena, specifically the buildup of clear ice.
As the frost alarm activated, the pilots attempted to increase altitude, which triggered a spin. During this maneuver, aerodynamic forces exceeded the structural design limits of the aircraft, causing the tail section to detach. Following this structural failure, the aircraft underwent several uncontrolled rolls before breaking up and falling to the ground.