Skydiving plane crash in France kills all 11 on board

A skydiving plane crashed on a road near Nancy-Essey Aerodrome in Tomblaine, France, on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board, according to local officials.news.sky+1
The German-registered Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter, operated by a parachuting school, drifted left after takeoff and went down just outside the airport perimeter.youtube+1
The aircraft lacks a flight data recorder, which investigators say may complicate efforts to determine the cause of the crash.facebook+1

A civilian aircraft belonging to a parachuting school crashed near the town of Tomblaine in northeastern France on Sunday morning, killing all 11 people on board. The crash, which occurred around 11 a.m. local time, has been confirmed as fatal for the pilot and all 10 passengers — five skydiving students and five instructors — according to Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefect Yves Séguy.news.sky+2

The aircraft, a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter registered in Germany, was operated by Tandemotion Parachutisme and had been conducting skydiving flights from Nancy-Essey Aerodrome throughout the morning. ADS-B flight tracking data indicates the plane landed on runway 21 following a parachute drop at 10:53 a.m., taxied back, and commenced a subsequent takeoff from the taxiway B intersection before drifting slightly left, making a left-hand turn over the runway threshold, and crashing on a road just outside the airport perimeter.turkiyetoday+1

Crash Site and Response

The plane came down on Rue Salvador Allende, near a residential area and shopping centre, though no one on the ground was injured. Three people were reportedly ejected from the aircraft. Police urged residents to avoid the area to allow emergency services and security forces clear access.lemonde+2

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez traveled to the crash site, and Prefect Séguy activated the departmental emergency operations centre. An investigation has been launched, though authorities have not yet determined what caused the accident.bienpublic+2

Investigation Challenges

The crash marks one of France's deadliest light aviation incidents in recent years. According to French aviation journalist François Nénin, the aircraft type does not carry a flight data recorder, which may complicate the investigation. The Nancy-Metz Air Transport Gendarmerie Brigade is leading the probe into the cause of the crash.airlive+2

The Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter is a single-engine turboprop widely used for skydiving operations around the world, valued for its short takeoff capability and ability to carry groups of parachutists to altitude.

Sources (27)