On February 8, 1965, a Vickers Viking (registration F-BJEQ) operated by Air Nautic was involved in an aviation accident near Calvi, France during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the landing gear during the takeoff roll caused the aircraft to veer off the runway. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft veered off the runway during its takeoff roll, resulting in a hull loss but no injuries to those on board.
What happened
During the initial stages of the takeoff roll, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of directional control. This instability caused the plane to deviate from the runway centerline and exit the paved surface. The aircraft eventually came to a stop after the excursion.
Despite the impact of the event, all 10 occupants were able to exit the aircraft without harm. While there were no fatalities or injuries reported, the incident resulted in the aircraft being declared a total loss.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the primary factor leading to the loss of control was a landing gear collapse occurring during the takeoff sequence.
Probable cause
The failure of the landing gear during the takeoff roll caused the aircraft to veer off the runway.