The accident happened yesterday early afternoon. Two pilots from the test flight center of the Istres military base (Bouches-du-Rhône) trained in mountain flying aboard a Jodler D 140R equipped with skis, in the Mont Blanc mountain range. According to their testimony, they landed on the Tour glacier at 3300m altitude and starting off for their turn, their landing gear had failed and the aircraft sufured damage on the glacier. An investigation was opened by the Gendarmerie de Haute-Savoie and the brigade air Ambérieux, specializing in military aircraft accidents, to determine the causes of this accident. The two pilots, two officers, had triggered their beacon and were quickly located by the rescue helicopter of the Gendarmerie. Both pilots were repatriated down to Chamonix without any phisical damage, and should return to Istres later tonight.
