Exceptional discovery: a Breguet XIV plane crashed in 1924 in Cabrerolles, near Béziers

The excavations and discoveries took place on August 25th. JF Bec – ML

Les vestiges retrouvés patientent dans un hangar de Cabrerolles en attendant d'être exposés lors des journées de commémoration. Antonia Jimenez – ML

undefined Antonia Jimenez – ML

The excavations and discoveries took place on August 25th. JF Bec – ML

Les fouilles et découvertes ont eu lieu le 25 août dernier. JF Bec – ML

The Aérocherche association of Blagnac, specializing in aeronautical archaeology, has found the remains of a Breguet XIV, the legendary Aéropostale plane that crashed into a mountain on November 6, 1924, not far from the hamlet of Aigues-Vives, in the commune of Cabrerolles, in the Béziers hinterland.

“It all started with René Angel, a Marseillan enthusiast who wrote a book about Pierre Deley, a French aviator and pioneer of the Aéropostale. As part of his research, he discovered that a Breguet XIV had crashed in Cabrerolles. He conducted an investigation into the possible crash site. Which came to nothing. As he got older, he passed the file on to the Aérocherche association in Blagnac, made up of volunteers specializing in aeronautical archaeology. It all started from there", says Olivier Andrieu, the first deputy of this small village in the Béziers hinterland of around 340 souls.

The association got to work at the beginning of 2023. Its research was successful: on November 6, 1924, pilot Georges Payan, 31, was killed when he crashed into the Cabrerolles mountain, aboard a Breguet XIV of the Lignes postales Latécoère (which would later become Aéropostale, read below). “The weather was bad at that time, all the planes were following the coast. With the wind, the plane was blown away and hit the first hills after Béziers, which are those of Cabrerolles.”

Testimonies, a commemoration

But the exact location of the crash has not been found. At the same time, Aérocherche is undertaking the entire administrative part, in particular that of authorizations from the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (Drac) to obtain excavation authorizations. In September 2023, it contacted the town hall and asked Olivier Andrieu, who is also the president of the Cabrerolles heritage preservation association, to gather testimonies in order to locate the wreck. Which this local history enthusiast willingly did last June. All the more so since Aérocherche would like to organize a major commemoration for the centenary of the plane's disappearance. A date is set with the town hall: November 9 and 10 (read below).

Once upon a time there was the Breguet XIV

A rustic and solid observation and bombing biplane designed in 1916, the Breguet XIV was produced in more than 8,000 copies in several countries until 1926. The last flying machine was withdrawn from service in 1935.

As soon as the First World War ended in 1918, many Breguet XIV will be disarmed and modified for civilian transport purposes. This will be the case for nearly 200 of them which will be transformed for the Lignes aérienne Latécoère in Toulouse-Montaudran.

It was with this aircraft that Lignes aérienne Latécoère, then Aéropostale, would carry out the first reconnaissance flights in Spain, Africa and then South America and begin operational flights. Georges Payan, who died in Cabrerolles, was one of the pioneer pilots of this great adventure.

On 25 August, an Aérocherche team, chaired by Gilles Colaveri, arrived in the village. Their objective: to find the Breguet XIV. They first met the witnesses from Cabrerolles, did some reconnaissance and… “Miracle, the search was fruitful, unexpected! Very beautiful elements of the plane were still 400 meters from the hamlet of Aigues-Vives, on a steep site”, Olivier Andrieu still enthuses today. And to add: “The research was kept discreet to preserve the excavation site.”

Parts very well preserved after 100 years

The engine, the joystick, the exhaust (an exceptional part of the engine), the wing tie rods, the landing gear… More than a hundred parts, and even the pilot's personal effects, the vast majority very well preserved, were therefore found. These remains are waiting in a hangar in the town to be listed. Then exhibited next month during the commemoration which will take place in the presence, among others, of members of the Latécoère and Breguet families. A Breguet XIV, the only one in the world still flying, will pass over the place of the ceremony.

Two days of commemoration

On November 9 and 10, the Cabrerolles town hall, Aérocherche and the Cabrerolles heritage preservation association are organizing a commemoration for the centenary of the disappearance of the Breguet XIV.

On the program for Saturday, November 9: 2 p.m., inauguration of a stele in tribute to pilot Georges Payan, not far from the crash site; 3:00-6:00 p.m., opening of the exhibition at the La Liquière community center with a display of the remains of the plane; 3:30 p.m., in La Liquière, a conference on aeronautical archaeology; 4:00 p.m., in La Liquière, a conference on the Aéropostale; 7:00 p.m., meal with storytelling in La Liquière.

Sunday, November 10: 10 a.m., opening of the exhibition at La Liquière; 12:30 p.m., meal; 3 p.m., opening of the school museum in the hamlet of Aigues-Vives with an exhibition on the history of Aéropostale in the schoolyard; 4:30 p.m., traveling theater in the streets of Aigues-Vives.

Two questions for Gilles Colaveri, president of Aérocherche

What makes this discovery exceptional ?
For two reasons. First, because it is the oldest aircraft that the association has discovered. It is a Breguet XIV, a legendary aircraft, from Lignes Latécoère, which later became Aéropostale. Société des lignes Latécoère was founded in 1918, with the idea of ​​a transatlantic airline dedicated to postal service and passenger transport, dreamed up by Pierre Georges Latécoère. It was realized during the 1920s under the impetus of Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont, who took over “La Ligne” under the name of Compagnie générale aéropostale in 1927. The second reason is the quality and quantity of the remains found. Usually, we find small fragments. Here, the engine is relatively complete, with a large part of the metal structures.
Are there other planes of this type??
Only one in France, an authentic one, which is exhibited at the Air and Space Museum in Le Bourget. There are also two copies, one at the Michelin Museum in Clermont-Ferrand, the other, made in 1992, the one that will fly during the commemoration days.

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