On June 28, 2026, a Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter) (registration D-FIPS) operated by KIAS Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Nancy-Essey, France during takeoff. 11 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A single-engine aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Nancy-Essey Airport during a skydiving sortie, killing all 11 people on board. The plane descended uncontrollably and struck a street near the runway threshold.
What happened
The accident involved a single-engine airplane conducting a local skydiving mission at Nancy-Essey Airport. The aircraft was carrying ten skydivers and one pilot, having already completed several previous sorties that day. After departing from runway 21, the plane began its climb but subsequently entered an uncontrolled descent. It crashed onto Salvador Allende Street in Tomblaine, located less than 200 meters south of the threshold for runway 03. The aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact.
Findings
All 11 occupants were killed, including five instructors and five students. The crash occurred during the initial climb phase of the flight.