A French pilot, whose identity remains undisclosed, has received a ban on flying after a horrific incident in July 2018 where he accidentally decapitated a skydiver with the wing of his plane. The incident occurred during a skydiving jump, leading to severe legal consequences for the pilot.
The pilot, 64-year-old Alain C, was tried and found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by the Montauban criminal court. He received a suspended sentence for his role in the accident.
The skydiving incident claimed the life of Nicolas Galy, who was struck by the plane immediately after jumping. The Midi-Pyrénées Skydiving School Association, responsible for operating the aircraft, was also implicated and fined €20,000 for its part in the tragic event.
Investigations into the incident highlighted a critical lapse in communication between the pilot and the skydiver, with reports suggesting that the pilot started the plane’s descent toward the aerodrome tarmac prematurely after the skydivers exited.
The oversight and the lack of coordination on flight trajectories underscored negligence on the pilot’s part. As a result of this tragedy, skydiving safety protocols have been tightened, with mandatory briefings now a requirement to ensure such accidents do not recur.
