Narrative:
Air France flight 406 was carried out by a Lockheed L-1649A Starliner named "De Grasse". It was a scheduled flight from Brazzaville (BZV) to Paris with intermediate stops at Bangui Airport (BGF), Central African Republic, Fort Lamy Airport (NDJ), now N'Djamena in Chad, and Marseille. Cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet the empennage failed. The Starliner broke up in flight and crashed in the Sahara desert. It is thought that the empennage broke away as a result of the detonation of a nitrocellulose explosive device.
Fuselage failure
Loss of control
» The Sydney Morning Herald - May 12, 1961
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
| Status: | |
| Date: | Wednesday 10 May 1961 |
| Time: | 02:30 |
| Type: | Lockheed L-1649A Starliner |
| Operator: | Air France |
| Registration: | F-BHBM |
| MSN: | 1027 |
| First flight: | 1957 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 10014 |
| Engines: | 4 Wright R-3350 (988TC18EA2) |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 69 / Occupants: 69 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 78 / Occupants: 78 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 100 km (62.5 mls) N of Edjele ( Algeria)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Fort Lamy Airport (NDJ/FTTJ), Chad |
| Marseille-Marignane Airport (MRS/LFML), France | |
| Flightnumber: | AF406 |
Air France flight 406 was carried out by a Lockheed L-1649A Starliner named "De Grasse". It was a scheduled flight from Brazzaville (BZV) to Paris with intermediate stops at Bangui Airport (BGF), Central African Republic, Fort Lamy Airport (NDJ), now N'Djamena in Chad, and Marseille. Cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet the empennage failed. The Starliner broke up in flight and crashed in the Sahara desert. It is thought that the empennage broke away as a result of the detonation of a nitrocellulose explosive device.
Classification:
Sabotage Fuselage failure
Loss of control
Sources:
» Aviation Disasters / D. Gero» The Sydney Morning Herald - May 12, 1961
Photos
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
accident date: 10-05-1961
type: Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
registration: F-BHBM
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Fort Lamy Airport to Marseille-Marignane Airport as the crow flies is 3587 km (2242 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
Distance from Fort Lamy Airport to Marseille-Marignane Airport as the crow flies is 3587 km (2242 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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