A Soviet-made plane that crashed in France on Sunday was a Yak-52 trainer, a French source close to the deceased pilot told RIA Novosti on Monday.
French media reported earlier on Monday that a World War II Yakovlev Yak fighter crashed on Sunday evening in the Seine-et-Marne region, killing a 62-year-old pilot and a passenger.
“We do not know the exact cause of the crash, but it was most likely pilot error during a risky maneuver on an exhibition flight,” the source said.
The pilot attempted a sharp turn after carrying out a steep climb at high speed, the source said.
The plane failed to finish the maneuver due to an apparent loss of power and crashed near the airfield.
The Yak-52 is a Soviet primary trainer aircraft which first flew in 1976. It is still produced in Romania under license.
Since the early 1990s and the fall of the Soviet Union, many Yak-52s have been exported to the West.
PARIS, April 25 (RIA Novosti)