1952-02-08: Vickers 619 Wellington X (RP383) — Royal Air Force - RAF — Le Vigan, France

7 fatalitiesLe Vigan, FranceFlight

An aircraft crashed into a mountainside near Le Vigan during flight in adverse weather conditions, resulting in the loss of all seven crew members.

What happened

During a flight through heavy cloud cover and difficult weather, an aircraft struck a mountain slope. The incident occurred in an area characterized by low visibility due to dense clouds. Following the impact, the wreckage was located in the vicinity of Le Vigan, situated approximately 45 km north of Montpellier.

All seven crew members on board the aircraft perished in the accident. At the time of the collision, the aircraft was operating at an altitude that was deemed insufficient for the terrain and environmental conditions present.

Findings

Investigations into the crash highlighted several contributing elements. The aircraft was traveling slightly away from its intended flight path, suggesting a navigational error may have occurred during the flight. Additionally, the presence of low-hanging clouds significantly reduced visibility, making it difficult for the crew to identify the mountain slope before impact.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by a combination of navigational deviation and insufficient altitude while flying in low-visibility weather conditions.