2026 Tomblaine Pilatus PC-6 Porter crash

On 28 June 2026, a Pilatus PC-6 Porter carrying skydivers crashed immediately after takeoff from Nancy-Essey Airport in Tomblaine, France, killing all eleven occupants.[1] The accident is the deadliest skydiving plane crash in French history.[2]

2026 Tomblaine Pilatus PC-6 Porter crash
D-FIPS, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in 2016
Accident
Date28 June 2026 (2026-06-28)
SummaryCrashed shortly after takeoff: under investigation
Site
Aircraft
Aircraft typePilatus PC-6 Porter
OperatorClassic Wings/KIAS Airlines
RegistrationD-FIPS
Flight originNancy-Essey Airport, Tomblaine, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France
DestinationNancy-Essey Airport, Tomblaine, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France
Occupants11
Passengers10
Crew1
Fatalities11
Survivors0

Background

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Aircraft

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The aircraft involved was D-FIPS, a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter manufactured in 1991 and operated by Classic Wings/KIAS Airlines.[3] The aircraft was involved in an incident in 2012 under a different operator when it collided with an obstacle on the ground during taxiing after landing.[4]

Passengers and crew

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The pilot, five instructors, and five trainee parachutists were on board the aircraft. The trainees were reportedly a group of nurses. None of them survived.[5]

Accident

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The aircraft crashed at around 11:00 a.m. into a bike path in a residental area about 300 metres (330 yd) from the runway, narrowly missing nearby homes and a shopping centre.[6] The plane plunged vertically to the ground. A witness said the plane seemingly experienced engine failure.[7] A resident said two bodies were thrown a few meters from the plane.[8] A significant emergency response was mobilized, with police units and 50 firefighters deployed to the scene.[9] Yves Séguy, brought together the relevant services for real-time monitoring of the situation. The French Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez is also traveling to the site.[10]

Investigation

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The Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) has sent 4 investigators and a first information investigator to the crash scene.[11]

See also

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References

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