Region
Crash of a Piper PA-46-310P Malibu in Paderborn: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 21, 1999 at 1017 LT
Operator:
Registration:
D-ELHB
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Niederstetten - Paderborn
MSN:
46-8608038
YOM:
1986
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total hours on type:
162.00
Aircraft flight hours:
2092
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Niederstetten Airport, Baden-Wurttemberg, at 0915LT with two passengers and one pilot on board. The flight was completed under VFR mode until Würzburg then the pilot was cleared to continue under IFR mode to the destination. On approach to Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, after passing 5,000 feet, the pilot was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 24. At an altitude of 3,700 feet, while trying to establish on the ILS, the pilot momentarily lost control of the airplane. He elected to regain control when the aircraft climbed to 4'000 feet, entered a left turn then an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in a field located in Borchen, about 8 km short of runway 24. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot was trying to intercept the ILS runway 24 when he momentarily lost control of the airplane. While trying to regain control, the outer of the right wing broke off due to structural failure caused by aerodynamic forces that exceeded its certification. The pilot, despite holding an instrument license, was apparently unable to execute an instrument approach.
Final Report:
Crash of a Beriev BE-103 in Straubing: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 29, 1999 at 1833 LT
Registration:
RA-03002
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Straubing - Straubing
MSN:
30 02
YOM:
1996
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
A testflight for the purpose of vibration measurements on the propellers was to be carried out with the a.m. aircraft. The Beriev BE103 is the prototype of a 6 seater, twin engine amphibious aircraft of russian design. It was powered by two piston engines Teledyne Continental IO-360 E5 which operated hydraulic variable pitch propellers. In the course of the russian type certification the vibration behavior and the stiffness of the propeller blades had to be proven. Therefore a test propeller, fitted with wire strain gauges was attached to the L/H engine at the propeller manufacturer’s facilities in Straubing. The transducers and transmitters were fitted instead of the spinner by means of special brackets. The data recording system was installed in the aircraft’s cabin. As during the testflights a maximum of 105% of the maximum allowable rpm had to be achieved the L/H propeller governor was adjusted to 2940 rpm. Furthermore the R/H propeller and governor were changed from prototypes to the serial components. After these modifications several engine test runs were carried out for calibration of the test equipment and data recording. The testflight was recorded on a camcorder. The film showed that the pilot in command taxied to the far end of the 940 m long pavement runway, adjusted the engines while standing and thereafter commenced his take-off run which should have been approx. 300 m long with view to the aircraft weight according to information gained from the a/c manufacturer. The a/c, however, taxied far beyond the ½ marking of the runway, rotated fairly long and went airborne after approx. 700 m with a high angle of attack. After gaining 10 to 15 m of altitude the pilot in command retracted the landing gear. Right after that the a/c entered a shallow descend in a nose-up attitude and turned to the left before it left the camera view some seconds before the impact. During the entire flight a constant and normal engine noise was audible. Approx. 600 m behind the runway end the aircraft hit the bank of a street and caught fire. The pilot in command was fatally injured, the aircraft was destroyed by the impact and the post impact fire.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the pilot in command trying to depart at an extremely reduced power setting and not aborting the take-off in time. Technical causes were not determined. The wrong power setting was related to a misinterpretation of the function and procedures in connection with the constant speed propeller system. Although these are part of the basic knowledge of a pilot on aircraft of this category they were explained to him by employees of the propeller manufacturer and the aircraft manufacturer’s test flight engineer as part of the preflight briefing. With a high probability the pilot did not understand these explanations in all details. The service of an interpreter was refused by him. The planned testflights wouldn’t have led to a power reduction when accomplished properly.
Final Report:
Crash of a Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker at Geilenkirchen AFB: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 13, 1999 at 2055 LT
Operator:
Registration:
59-1452
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Geilenkirchen - Geilenkirchen
MSN:
17940
YOM:
1960
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft was returning to Geilenkirchen NATO AFB following a refueling mission over Germany on behalf of the 141st Air Refueling Wing in Fairchild, WA. On final approach by night, the crew apparently initiated a go-around procedure when the aircraft pitched up to an angle of 7,5°, stalled and crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control occurred after the runway trim motor failed on approach which was unnoticed by the crew, causing the aircraft to nose up when power was applied. The cause of the runaway motor remains unknown.
Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 Marquise in Egelsbach
Date & Time:
Jan 11, 1999
Registration:
N95MJ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Egelsbach - Egelsbach
MSN:
1564
YOM:
1983
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On January 11 1999, during a local check flight for the new owner-pilot, as the aircraft was descending through about 150 feet during the final stage of a visual approach to Runway 27 at Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport, Egelsbach, the pilot 'pulled the throttles back to ground idle.' The check pilot immediately moved the throttles forward again but meanwhile the aircraft had developed a high rate of descent and it touched down very hard on the threshold of Runway 27 wherein the nose gear and left main landing gear broke off.
Crash of a Beechcraft RC-12K Huron near Giebelstadt AFB: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Nov 6, 1998
Operator:
Registration:
85-0151
Survivors:
No
MSN:
FE-5
YOM:
1987
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was approaching Giebelstadt AFB when it crashed in the Sommerhausen zoo located about 8 km northeast of the airfield. Both pilots were killed.
Crash of an Extra EA-400 in Hagen: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 21, 1998 at 1703 LT
Operator:
Registration:
D-EGBU
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dinslaken – Donaueschingen
MSN:
02
YOM:
1998
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Dinslaken-Schwarze Heide Airport on a flight to Donaueschingen. While in cruising altitude in poor weather conditions, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in Hagen. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed. He was supposed to deliver the aircraft to his new owner.
Probable cause:
The pilot operated this aircraft for the first time and was surprised when the aircraft lost height in flight, probably because the speed was too low.
Final Report:
Crash of a Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III in Hamburg: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 6, 1998 at 1320 LT
Operator:
Registration:
D-ICBK
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hamburg - Hanover
MSN:
421C-0292
YOM:
1977
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel Airport, while climbing, the pilot reported engine problems and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. While completing a turn, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in Niendorf, near the airport. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crash of a Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 602P) in Erfurt: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Nov 14, 1997
Registration:
D-IAPB
Survivors:
No
MSN:
62-0872-8165010
YOM:
1981
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching Erfurt-Weimar Airport. The wreckage was found 3 km from the airport. All four occupants were killed, three Swiss and one German.
Crash of a Beechcraft C90A King Air in Wildeshausen: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 2, 1997
Registration:
D-ITCH
Survivors:
No
MSN:
LJ-1138
YOM:
1987
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After takeoff, the twin engine aircraft collided with trees and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. Takeoff from Ahlhorn?
