What happened
A Latécoère 631 was operating a transport flight from Lake Léré toward Douala, carrying a cargo of cotton bales along with eight crew members and eight passengers. During the cruise phase of the flight, the aircraft entered an area of intense thunderstorm activity characterized by severe turbulence. While navigating these tropical storm conditions, the aircraft experienced a structural failure involving one of its wings. Following this failure, the plane lost stability and entered an uncontrolled dive. The aircraft eventually crashed approximately 60 km north of Banyo. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe and 16 fatalities, with no survivors among the crew or passengers.
This accident marked the final operational mission for both the aircraft and its crew, who were scheduled to return to Biscarrosse, France, for scheduled maintenance and testing. This event also signified the end of service for the Latécoère 631 model.