A military plane crashed in France; the crew was injured
A Cirrus SR-20 training aircraft belonging to the French Air Force and Space Force crashed in Salon-de-Provence, France. An instructor and a trainee pilot were on board; they sustained minor injuries and managed to exit the aircraft before it caught fire.
The accident occurred on Monday, August 17, during a training flight in Salon-de-Provence, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Shortly before 10:00 a.m. local time, the crew of the small aircraft sent a distress signal. Shortly thereafter, the Cirrus SR-20 crashed.
There were two military personnel on board—an instructor and a trainee pilot. According to the French agency, both sustained minor injuries. They were able to send a distress signal on their own after the crash. Importantly, the crew managed to avoid residential areas. According to preliminary information, there were no civilian casualties.
The municipality of Salon-de-Provence reported that the aircraft made an emergency landing on Route RD 113—between Jardin-Passion and Intermarché streets. “The two Air Force Academy cadets on board managed to make an emergency landing on the RD 113 highway and evacuate in time before the plane caught fire,” the city administration said in a statement.
City officials described the accident as “spectacular and impressive.” At the same time, they clarified that it occurred specifically during a training flight. The Cirrus SR-20 is a light single-engine aircraft used for pilot training and instruction. It belongs to the training and instruction wing of the French Air Force and Space Force.
Emergency services responded to the scene after the crash. The area is being surveyed, and the circumstances of the incident are being determined. An investigation into the crash has been launched. Experts are tasked with determining the exact cause of the crash and why the crew was forced to make an emergency landing. It is currently known that both crew members are alive, and their injuries are considered minor. No other casualties resulting from the crash have been reported. The French Ministry of the Armed Forces reported the incident.
