French army general and couple die in horror crash as plane smashes into residential area
A former French army general has died after the plane he was piloting went down and crashed into a residential area, also killing a couple onboard.
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Three people have died after a plane crashed into a French neighbourhood just three minutes after taking off.
The plane made a sudden turn before suffering a "rapid descent" in the moments before it crashed, killing a former army general, 77, and a couple in their 60s on board the Cessna 172 tourist plane.
The experienced pilot lost control of the small aircraft around 4pm on Friday, with the plane crashing in a residential area in Champhol, a town in central France.
The veteran French army general was praised for how he managed to avoid any civilian casualties on the ground when the plane spiralled down.
Public prosecutor Frederic Chevallier said he believes "the pilot likely prevented a greater tragedy by avoiding the houses".
The only other damage caused was to a parked car in the area.
Initial investigations say the aircraft is believed to have made a sharp turn that is said to have been too tight to perform.
The plane ultimately smashed into a "low wall in a garden" and came to a sudden stop.
An investigation into the exact cause of the crash is still ongoing.