TAI Flight 307
1959 aviation accident From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
TAI Flight 307 was a scheduled flight operated by Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux (TAI) between France and the Ivory Coast via Mali operated by a Douglas DC-7C. On 24 September 1959, the aircraft crashed during its departure from Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport, France when it flew into trees.[1] All of the flight crew and 45 of the 56 passengers on board were killed; the other 11 passengers were seriously injured.[1]
 A DC-7C of TAI similar to the crash aircraft | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 24 September 1959 |
| Summary | Controlled flight into terrain |
| Site | Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport, France 44.8283°N 0.7156°W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Douglas DC-7C |
| Operator | Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux (TAI) |
| Registration | F-BIAP |
| Flight origin | Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport, France |
| Stopover | Bamako Airport, Mali |
| Destination | Abidjan, Ivory Coast |
| Occupants | 65 |
| Passengers | 56 |
| Crew | 9 |
| Fatalities | 54 |
| Injuries | 11 |
| Survivors | 11 |
The DC-7C arrived at Bordeaux from Paris, making a scheduled stop on its route to West Africa. Following a two-hour stopover, departure from Bordeaux took place at 22:33 GMT.[1] Weather at the time of departure was a 3-knot (3.5 mph) wind and light drizzle that did not significantly restrict visibility.[1] Following takeoff, the aircraft reached an altitude of 30 metres (98 ft), and failed to climb further before flying into a pine forest located 2,950 metres (9,680 ft) from the end of the runway.[1]
The aircraft cut a swath through the forest; some of the passengers were thrown clear of the wreckage as the fuselage broke up, before being destroyed in a post-crash fire.[2] Because of the darkness and a lack of roads in the accident area, rescue workers had difficulty reaching the scene of the crash; their vehicles were unable to approach closer than 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the impact site.[2] Twelve survivors were taken to a hospital in Bordeaux; one later died despite medical care, bringing the total number of deaths caused by the crash to 54.[3][4]
The aircraft involved in the accident, registered F-BIAP, was a Douglas DC-7C airliner powered by four Wright R-3350-30W radial piston engines. Delivered new to Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux on 9 November 1957, it carried manufacturer's serial number 45366.[5]
The Investigation Board appointed to determine the cause of the crash reported that the accident was most likely caused by a combination of factors. Evidence from a reconstructed flight showed that with an increase in speed for a few seconds, the rate of climb of the aircraft will decrease; with a lack of visual references "a pilot may follow a line of flight that will bring the aircraft back near the ground if, during this period, optimum climbing speed is not maintained and the altimeter is not carefully watched".[1]
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