What happened
A non-scheduled international flight operated by a Douglas C-54A departed Manston, England, bound for Perpignan, France. During the cruise phase at FL90, the crew provided several conflicting position reports and estimated times of arrival to Marseille Control. After passing Mende, the crew initially reported being abeam Montelimar, which prompted controllers to question the accuracy of their navigation due to geographical inconsistencies. The flight subsequently requested permission to begin a descent.
As the aircraft descended through FL70 toward FL50, the crew communicated with Perpignan Approach. During these exchanges, there was significant confusion regarding whether the runway was in sight. Although the crew eventually confirmed they did not have the airfield in view, the controller misunderstood the response and continued with instructions for a downwind approach. Following a request for magnetic bearings, the aircraft ceased all radio communication.
The aircraft subsequently struck the Dent du Lion with one of its wings before impacting a mountainside at an elevation of 1160 m. The wreckage was located in a ditch on the slopes of Mt Canigou at an altitude of 940 meters. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and there were 88 fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the collision with the terrain was caused by several errors made by the crew, including the failure to utilize available radio navigation equipment, inaccuracies in dead reckoning, and descending from an incorrectly identified location. The crew also failed to maintain the safe altitudes specified in their flight plan.
Investigators noted that the crew's erratic behavior may have been caused by carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from a malfunctioning heating system. Furthermore, communication difficulties between the crew and Perpignan Approach, stemming from language barriers and a lack of standardized phraseology, served as aggravating factors in the accident.