Three Dead in France as Tourist Plane Crashes Into Residential Neighborhood

The wreckage of a light aircraft after it crashed in a French neighborhood just three minutes after taking off

Three people were killed after a Cessna 172 light aircraft crashed into a residential area in Champhol, central France, just minutes after takeoff on Friday afternoon.

The victims include a 77-year-old former French army general who was piloting the plane, and a couple in their 60s who were passengers. According to public prosecutor Frédéric Chevallier, all three occupants died on impact when the aircraft crashed shortly before 4:00 p.m.

The Cessna 172, operated by the Chartres Métropole aerodrome flying club, lost control during a sharp and sudden turn shortly after takeoff. Initial findings from the ongoing investigation suggest the maneuver was too tight for the aircraft, leading to a rapid descent.

The aircraft struck a low wall in a private garden and came to a complete stop within the residential zone. While the crash caused significant concern among residents, no civilians on the ground were harmed. Only a parked car sustained damage.

Three people died in the horror accident

Chevallier commended the pilot’s efforts, stating that he “likely prevented a greater tragedy by avoiding the houses” in the area during the aircraft’s final descent.

The French Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority (BEA) has launched an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the crash.

The Champhol crash follows a series of recent light aircraft tragedies.

In the United States, a Mooney M20 aircraft crashed near Beverly Regional Airport in Massachusetts at approximately 8:45 a.m., killing one person and leaving another critically injured.

The plane is said to have smashed into a 'low wall in a garden' before coming to a sudden stop

Earlier this month in North Carolina, a bizarre and fatal crash occurred when a private Universal Stinson 108 plane tried to avoid a turtle on the runway at Sugar Valley Airport. The pilot lifted the right wheel to miss the reptile and pushed the throttle forward, causing the plane to veer into a wooded area and ignite upon impact. Two people were killed and a third was seriously injured.

These incidents have renewed focus on flight safety protocols involving small aircraft and the hazards associated with recreational flying.