C310 Crach LA Mole

[Matchless]

I was last saturday PM at La mole. A C310 had just crashed there. Apparently the pilot tried to land there with both engines out! The unfortunate pilot overshot the runway. I do not know the faith of the pilot but I am fearing the worst off course. Anybody has some more info on his accident?

[LUM]

Well, a C130 has 4 engines and can fly on the 2 remaining ones! La Maule will certainly not be used as a suitable diversion in such situation!
Could it be a C160 (Transal)?

[Treetopflyer]

Well, a C130 has 4 engines and can fly on the 2 remaining ones! La Maule will certainly not be used as a suitable diversion in such situation!
Could it be a C160 (Transal)?

Hmmm... And if we read that first post again, couldn't it simply be a C310 Cessna twin? :E :E :E

All engines out approach at La Mole, that's a pretty tough one. Hoping the occupants got out ok.

TTF

[LUM]

Ahhhhhhhhhh, my dyslexia, again!!!!!:}

[flyingmasai]

I landed just after the crash, unfortunaly the pilot did not survive the accident.
The pilot was a british citizen flyind a C310 register in the states flying from greece.

[Racing Snake]

This was printed in last weeks Doncaster Free Press.
Condolences to his family.
Pilot dies in plane crash
A PENSIONER pilot from Doncaster has died after crash landing his plane on the French Riviera.
Retired decorator David Smith suffered fatal injuries when his twin-engined aircraft went out of control as it made an emergency landing at an airfield near the glamour resort of St Tropez.
The 69-year-old was flying from Corfu to Marseilles when his Cessna 310 aircraft developed engine trouble and was ordered to land at La Mole, an airfield in Provence renowned for the arrival and departure of star celebrities holidaying in St Tropez.
Mr Smith's body has been returned to Britain for cremation and a post-mortem examination was due to be carried out today.
He had been a qualified pilot for almost 40 years, learning to fly at the former Doncaster Flying Club airfield where The Dome now stands.
His widow, Audrey Smith, of Town Moor Avenue, Doncaster, told an inquest he would go flying at the weekends.
The crash was on Saturday July 15 but it was not until the following day that she was informed of the tragedy by police.
"I just felt so agitated that day because I got no phone call from him. I tried on Sunday morning and got nothing and then the police came and told me," said Mrs Smith, who is 67, who declined to comment further after the hearing.
The Cessna, believed to be more than 25 years old, is understood to have overshot the runway while landing at La Mole.
Doncaster coroner Stanley Hooper has adjourned the inquest until a later date to await further evidence.
He said he would write to the French authorities to seek a full report on the circumstances surrounding the crash.
27 July 2006

[Matchless]

Hello Racing Snake

Thank you for this information. Very shad news indeed.

My condolences to his family.

[PorcoRosso]

Discussing with the airfield staff in la mole, it seems the C310 tried a deadstisk landing at La mole. All agree the 2 engines were out.
It seems the 310 did too high an approach on the R24, and had no chance to even touch the runway. He hit the trees at the end of the strip
There was fuel remaining in one wing .
I was given the following figure : he was at 4000 feet when at 2NM from the threshold . Too bad he didn't try a 360 or some S maneuvers to loose some height ...
Really a sad story.

PR

[sallygiles]

Hello guys,

I would like to let you know that I was a friend of david smiths and we attended his funeral yesterday. I have passed on your kind words of condolences to his widow Audrey.

Many thanks indeed

Sally