A tragic accident occurred on the A4 motorway near the Bay 2 shopping center in Collégien, Seine-et-Marne. Sunday afternoon, a small tourist plane, a Cessna 172, hit a high voltage line and crashed into the central reservation of the motorway. This incident resulted in the deaths of the three occupants of the aircraft: two men and one woman.
The pilot, born in 1989 and recently licensed, had accumulated about a hundred flight hours. At this point, the authorities have not yet disclosed the age of the other victims. Fortunately, no vehicles traveling on the motorway were affected by the crash.
Traffic was immediately interrupted in both directions and a diversion put in place to secure the area. A criminal investigation for involuntary manslaughter has been ordered by Jean-Baptiste Bladier, the prosecutor of Meaux. The gendarmerie of air transport (GTA) and the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) are also conducting their own investigations to understand the exact circumstances of the tragedy.
This event highlights how crucial it is to ensure aviation safety to prevent such disasters in the future. Thorough analysis of the causes may shed light on necessary preventive measures to reinforce this essential safety.
A similar accident in July 2023
A small tourist plane recently crashed on the A4 motorway near Collégien. This incident is the second in a year for this aircraft from the aéroflight aero club in Lognes-Emerainville. Residents, represented by the Association of Residents of the airfield (Arale), express their growing concerns about safety in this densely populated area.
Last year, another similar accident occurred when the pilot lost control during landing and ended up crashing into a safety barrier on the same motorway. Fortunately, the passengers only suffered minor injuries.
Air accidents involving tourist planes are not uncommon. In April 2021, a Robin DR400 crashed near Saint-Pathus, resulting in the death of the instructor pilot and his three students returning from a flight to Le Touquet.
These incidents raise crucial questions about safety measures around airfields located near urban areas.
Pascal Petibon, born in 1980 in Lyon, is a renowned journalist and author, passionate about information and communication. After earning a degree in journalism from the University of Paris, he quickly joined various editorial teams, where he became known for his sharp analysis and clear writing style.
