[1] The aircraft was a four-engined Lockheed L-749 Constellation piston-engined airliner registered F-BAZZ, construction number 2674, that had first flown in 1951 in the United States and had been delivered to Air France on 18 July 1951.

[1] Around 23:30 villagers at Fours-St. Laurent saw the aircraft crash into the side of Mont Le Cimet, about ten miles (16 km) away.

The aircraft struck the ground about 500 ft (150 m) below the summit and burst into flames.

[1] A rescue party from Fours left about 90 minutes after the accident, but did not arrive at the scene until 5:25, they were joined by a doctor and nurse from Barcelonnette and two teams from the Chasseurs Alpins.

Three of the passengers were the 72-year-old French violinist Jacques Thibaud, his daughter-in-law and his accompanist.