On 13 November 1950, a Paris-bound Douglas C-54B-1-DC aircraft crashed on the Grande Tête de l'Obiou mountain, 48 km (30 mi) south of Grenoble.

The aircraft was carrying fifty-one pilgrims, all but two of whom were Canadians and fifteen of whom were Catholic priests, on the return leg to Montreal Dorval airport from a Holy Year pilgrimage in Rome.

After departing Rome Ciampino at 14:16, it crossed the Mediterranean via Bastia in Corsica, whence the flight plan called for it to pass over the Istres non-directional beacon.

Some fifteen minutes later, the aircraft struck the top of the 9,150-feet high Tête de l'Obiou mountain, less than six feet from the summit.

In July 1951, six Italian forest workers were prosecuted for looting the crash site and stealing money, jewellery and religious objects from the wreckage.