What happened
A special flight operating under the callsign Pélican 63 departed from Marseille-Marignane, destined for Perpignan-Rivesaltes Airport. The aircraft was transporting a crew of three and two passengers, including personnel from the French Army, to conduct a technical inspection of a supply center.
During the descent toward Perpignan Airport, the flight encountered adverse meteorological conditions characterized by rain showers and fog. While operating in these low-visibility conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain situated approximately 20 km north of the destination airport near Fitou. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the four-engine aircraft and caused five fatalities, with no survivors among the occupants.
Findings
The investigation into the crash identified that the crew was operating in significantly reduced visibility due to weather. The primary factor contributing to the accident was the failure to maintain safe altitude while navigating through fog and rain showers.