1960-09-16: Nord 2501 Noratlas (22/F-RBHO) — French Air Force - Armée de l'Air — Batna, Algeria

11 fatalitiesBatna, AlgeriaFlight

An 11-person crew perished when their aircraft struck a mountain slope during a nighttime training exercise in Algeria.

What happened

During a night-time military training mission, a Gloster Meteor crashed into the terrain of the Aurès Mountain Range. The incident occurred in the evening near the northwest region of Batna. During the maneuvers, the flight crew attempted to descend below radar detection limits to evade tracking by an opposing 'enemy' aircraft, specifically a Gloster Meteor. During this descent, the plane impacted a mountain slope.

Search efforts located the wreckage approximately eight hours after the impact. The accident resulted in 11 fatalities, with no survivors among the crew members on board. The occupants included two pilots, a radio navigator, an engineer, and several observers.

Findings

The investigation concluded that the crash was the result of controlled flight into terrain.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck a mountain slope while the crew was intentionally descending below radar coverage during a training maneuver.