Skydiving Plane Crashes Near Nancy, France; All 11 Dead

A skydiving plane crashed near Nancy in northeastern France on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board, according to AP News.
The plane went down shortly after takeoff from Nancy-Essey Airport, DW reports. No one survived.
The aircraft was a small jump plane—the kind used to carry skydivers up before they parachute down. With 11 people dead, the plane was carrying a full group of jumpers. These aircraft are the size of a light commuter plane and typically carry around 10 to 15 people.
French aviation investigators from the BEA (the country's aircraft accident agency) will examine what went wrong. They will look at the plane's mechanical systems, the pilot's actions, and maintenance records. Early takeoff is a particularly risky time for small aircraft because they are low to the ground with limited time to recover if an engine fails or something breaks.
France has many skydiving clubs and drop zones. While crashes of this kind are uncommon, they have happened before in Europe. A similar crash in 2012 in the French Alps killed nine people.
The investigation will take weeks or months. If the BEA finds a mechanical problem, they may order all similar planes in Europe to be inspected. If the problem was with how the flight was operated, European aviation regulators will review safety standards for skydiving operations.
Eleven people died. That is what matters most.


