What happened
During a nighttime mail delivery mission for the French Postal Service (La Poste), an aircraft was traveling from Rennes to Clermont-Ferrand with scheduled stops in Poitiers and Nantes. While performing the final approach into Nantes-Château Bougon Airport, the flight encountered a critical error regarding its descent profile. The aircraft collided with overhead power lines, which subsequently led to a crash in a field situated approximately 12 km from the airfield. The impact resulted in a fire that completely destroyed the aircraft. There were three fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing elements that led to the collision with obstructions. The primary cause was the failure to adhere to established approach procedures, which left the aircraft at an insufficient altitude. Other significant factors included:
- Ineffective coordination between the crew members
- Limited visibility during the night operations
- Presence of high-altitude obstacles in the flight path