Two Elixir Aircraft pilots were killed when a light aircraft operated by the French manufacturer crashed during a routine production flight at Rochefort-Saint-Agnant on Thursday, near the Rochefort air base in Charente-Maritime. The aircraft came down on or beside the military airfield, and the civil airport was briefly closed after the accident.
Elixir Aircraft, based in La Rochelle, confirmed the deaths and had senior staff on site to coordinate with authorities. Local prosecutors opened an investigation, while gendarmerie air-transports specialists headed to the scene to determine the cause. One military official cited a severe technical failure, but the exact cause has not yet been established.
The crash is understood to be the first fatal accident involving the company’s single-engine Elixir aircraft. Military personnel reached the site quickly and confirmed there were no casualties or damage on the armed forces side of the base. The accident took place in the morning, with one report placing it at about 10:30 local time.