What happened
During a nighttime flight originating from Algiers and destined for Mont-de-Marsan Airbase, an aircraft struck the southern slope of Costabonne Peak within Spanish territory. The flight was transporting eleven people, consisting of nine crew members representing the Center of Experimentation at Mont-de-Marsan and two employees from SNECMA.
Following the impact, search efforts were conducted by Spanish rescue teams. The wreckage was eventually located on January 5, 1954, situated approximately 5 km northeast of Setcases. The force of the collision resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused 11 fatalities among all occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the accident concluded that the crash was the result of controlled flight into terrain.