Incident Overview
During a nighttime approach to Bahrain, an aircraft christened 'Ciel de Gascogne' struck the water surface and crashed into the Persian Gulf. The impact occurred just a few hundred yards from the threshold of runway 29. Due to the remote nature of the crash site in the water, first rescuers did not arrive at the scene until approximately four hours after the accident.
Casualties and Crew
The incident resulted in significant loss of life. While three crew members and ten passengers were successfully rescued, forty other occupants perished. The flight deck and cabin crew included Robert Plamont as pilot, Mr. Cartier as copilot, and two radio officers, Mr. Thibaud and Lucien Duval. The technical and service staff consisted of mechanic Mr. Franco, stewards Mr. Gourhaut and Roland Rimbol, and stewardess Mrs. Hervé.
Official Findings
The investigation determined that the primary cause was the pilot in command's failure to adopt a timed approach procedure suitable for the prevailing conditions. Specifically, after descending to 300 feet, the pilot did not take appropriate measures to maintain this altitude until the runway lights became visible. Contributory factors included the fact that Bahrain airport lacked radio landing aids and suitable runway approach lighting at the time of the accident.