All 11 people aboard a skydiving plane were killed when it crashed shortly after takeoff in northeastern France on Sunday. The aircraft went down around 11 a.m. local time near Tomblaine, on the outskirts of Nancy, French officials said. It had lifted off from the Nancy-Essey airfield only moments earlier. It came down about 300 meters from the runway.
The dead included the pilot, five parachuting instructors, and five first-time jumpers, according to officials. The novices were reportedly a group of nurses trying the sport for the first time. They had been set to jump as tandems, each one strapped to an instructor for the descent.
The plane had been airborne for only moments. Officials said it suffered a malfunction and dropped almost vertically to the ground. It crashed near a housing development on the edge of the airfield, close to homes and a shopping center. No one on the ground was hurt, according to the regional prefect, Yves Séguy.
Among the witnesses were relatives of those on board. They watched the aircraft fall from the sky. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez pointed to the tremendous emotion and deep psychological trauma for the families who saw it happen. What caused the crash isn’t yet known. Officials have cautioned that it’s too early to draw conclusions, which leaves the investigation and a wider safety question ahead.
What Investigators Know So Far
The Paris prosecutor’s office is leading the investigation. France’s air-accident authority is also examining the wreckage. The aircraft was a single-engine Pilatus PC-6, a small turboprop widely used to carry skydivers, since it climbs fast and handles short runways. Investigators will trace the sequence that ended on the ground, piece by piece. For now, officials have refused to speculate, saying only that the plane came down suddenly.
A nearby resident told French television he heard what sounded like the engine cutting out, then a bang almost immediately. Whether that means engine failure is what investigators still have to establish. They’ve warned against assuming it. Early witness impressions often shift once the wreckage is examined, and the plane’s age, its maintenance record, and the conditions at takeoff will all factor in. A firm answer could take months.
The Second Skydiving Crash in Weeks
This is the second deadly skydiving-plane crash in a matter of weeks. A similar crash in western Missouri killed 12 people earlier this month, according to CNN. It revived a long-running debate over how skydiving aircraft are regulated. Many of these planes are older models flown hard on short hops, up and down all day. France’s transport minister called Sunday’s crash the country’s worst skydiving accident in roughly 30 years.
For now, the focus in Nancy is on the families. Officials said emergency crews responded quickly. Counselors were on hand for relatives who had come to watch the jumps. The mayor called it a shock that has put the entire Greater Nancy area into mourning. The cause remains with the investigators, and a full account is likely months away.