Taiwanese Pilot Killed in Mirage 2000-5F Crash in France

A Taiwanese pilot died 3 October 2012 morning after his Mirage 2000-5F crashed in France .

On Wednesday, 3 October 2012 at 10:05 local time, a French air force Mirage 2000-5 aircraft from Luxeuil air base crashed northeast of the town of Luxeuil Froideconche, in the Haute-Saône district, while on a training mission.

The pilot, identified as Wang Tung-yi (王同義) was on a training exchange program at the BA 116 airforce base in Luxeuil-les-Bains, Haute-Saone, and his aircraft crashed north of Luxeuil, near the Froideconche community soon after takeoff at 10:05am, French military officials told media.

Froideconche Mayor Henri Passard said the aircraft crashed in a wooded area about 500m from a housing community and dozens of kilometers from the air base. “For the time being, nobody has been able to approach the site of the crash, for security reasons,” he said. “We must first determine what type of weapons were on board the aircraft.”

French newspaper Le Figaro reported that witnesses had seen a “ball of fire” prior to the crash. Passard said that based on information he had received, the pilot did everything in his power to avoid crashing into houses.

The pilot, a Taiwanese citizen, was killed in the accident.

An investigation has been opened to determine the circumstances of the crash.

Gen. Denis Mercier, Chief of Staff of the French Air Force, wishes to express his sympathy to the family of the pilot.


Source: XAIRFORCES News - 03 October 2012

Photo: Crash of a France Air Force Mirage 2000-5F from Luxeuil Air Base (Photo by LSMP Payerne)


(3.10.2012)