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7 fatalities

Fatal Mountain Flight Accident Involving a French Military Transport Aircraft (F-RAIA)

Pic du Pioulou, FranceFlight

On December 17, 2003, a Casa-Nurtanio CN-235 (IPTN) (registration F-RAIA) operated by French Air Force - Armée de l'Air was involved in an aviation accident near Pic du Pioulou, France in flight. 7 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was primarily related to the human factor during an unscheduled and unprepared flight phase decided by the captain in flight. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A French military transport aircraft crashed into the Pic du Pioulou on December 15 after an unscheduled low-level flight over the Pyrenees, killing all seven occupants.

Mission and Departure Details On December 15, an aircraft based at Creil Air Base (BA110) was dispatched to Toulouse-Francazal Air Base for a three-day period to conduct local missions with paratroopers. Operating under the callsign Cotam 1492, the aircraft departed Toulouse-Francazal Airport at 0952 local time with 12 paratroopers and four crew members on board, acting on behalf of the Escadron de Transport 01.062 Vercors. At 1017 local time, while approaching the drop zone of Tour du Crieu at an altitude of 12,000 feet, nine skydivers exited the cabin. Following the drop, the captain informed ground control of an intention to conduct a low flight over the Pyrenees mountains for 10 to 15 minutes before returning to base.

Probable cause

The accident was primarily related to the human factor during an unscheduled and unprepared flight phase decided by the captain in flight. Contributing errors included crew overconfidence in unfamiliar mountain terrain, a lack of decisive cockpit leadership due to a soft consensus, an incorrect assessment of the aircraft's capabilities relative to the topography, and a lack of reaction in a degraded situation.
Loss of control in flight

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 17 Dec 2003 Casa-Nurtanio CN-235 (IPTN) accident near Pic du Pioulou, France?

A French military transport aircraft crashed into the Pic du Pioulou on December 15 after an unscheduled low-level flight over the Pyrenees, killing all seven occupants.

Were there any fatalities in the 17 Dec 2003 Casa-Nurtanio CN-235 (IPTN) accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 7 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 17 Dec 2003 involved a Casa-Nurtanio CN-235 (IPTN), registration F-RAIA, operated by French Air Force - Armée de l'Air, at Pic du Pioulou, France.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was primarily related to the human factor during an unscheduled and unprepared flight phase decided by the captain in flight. Contributing errors included crew overconfidence in unfamiliar mountain terrain, a lack of decisive cockpit leadership due to a soft consensus, an incorrect assessment of the…

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