No fatalities

Engine failure leads to aircraft abandonment near Moulins (51-2645)

Moulins, FranceFlight

On April 18, 1955, a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (registration 51-2645) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Moulins, France in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by a mechanical failure of the engine during 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)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft experienced an engine failure during flight, forcing the crew to bail out before the plane crashed in a field southeast of Moulins.

What happened

During a flight near Moulins, the aircraft experienced a critical loss of power due to an engine malfunction. Following the mechanical failure, the crew was forced to abandon the aircraft and perform a bailout procedure.

After the crew exited the plane, the aircraft entered a steep descent and struck the ground in a field located approximately 15 km southeast of Moulins. While the impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft, there were no fatalities or injuries reported during the incident.

Findings

  • The primary factor leading to the emergency was an engine failure while the aircraft was in flight.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by a mechanical failure of the engine during flight.